Hardik to organise 'Maha Panchayat' on May 26 for Patidar quota

Patidar quota spearhead Hardik Patel today issued an open letter asking the Patel community members and leaders to attend a "Maha Panchayat" to be organised on May 26 in Moti Malvan village in Gujarat's Surendranagar district.

In an open letter issued and circulated to the media, Patel asked the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leaders across the state to reach the venue on May 26 "to decide the future course of action regarding the demand for reservation as well as withdrawal of police cases against agitators".

Patel also shot off two letters to state BJP chief Jitu Vaghani and the Congress's Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Paresh Dhanani, asking them to attend the gathering along with Patidar MLAs from both parties.

Patel, in his letter, sent out a warning to these leaders as well.

"You have to attend the Maha Panchayat and extend your support to the community. If you (Vaghani, Dhanani and Patel MLAs) fail to show up, we will believe that you are not with the Patidar community in its fight for reservation," his letter stated.

Commenting on Patel's "invitation-cum-warning", the BJP's Vaghani dubbed the quota leader as a "pawn of the Congress" and accused him of adopting such tactics to "remain in the limelight".

Dhanani, however, welcomed Patel's move though he added that he had not received the letter yet.