Congress hopes to counter BJP with Patidar card

Seeks to bring Hardik Patel on board to strengthen its anti-saffron agenda

Keen to dislodge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has been ruling Gujarat for 19 years, the Congress is hopeful of getting Hardik Patel to join it. A popular face of the state-wide Patidar movement, Patel is expected to strengthen the party’s anti-saffron party movement.

Polls to the 182-seat Gujarat Assembly are to be held by the end of the year.

According to sources, informal talks with people close to the leader are on to enlist the support of the Patel community, which comprises 20 per cent of the voters. Besides, the Congress is also trying to work out similar informal pacts