Now, Sardar Patel Group to act as PAAS's antidote troubling Congress

Patel quota outfit Sardar Patel Group (SPG), led by Lalji Patel, is now acting as an antidote to Hardik Patel-led PAAS. The SPG now is prepared to trouble opposition party Congress in Gujarat before Lok Sabha polls. The president of SPG Lalji has written a letter to Congress president Rahul Gandhi and leader of opposition in Gujarat Paresh Dhanani seeking clarity of their stand on Patel reservation.

The letter read that Patel community supported Congress party in last assembly polls, but the party never cleared its stand on reservation or justice to the community. The SPG warned the Congress party in a letter that if the stand was not made clear soon, their community would deject Congress in upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

This letter also sought action from Gujarat assembly LOP Dhanani that he should bring pressure on ruling party for the sake of the Patel community resolving their long pending issues.

The SPG office bearers, including their spokesperson, held a press conference on Saturday in Gandhinagar. Talking to DNA, SPG spokesperson Purvin Patel, alias Pakalal, said, "We saw that Congress only exploited our emotions and sentiments in last polls and got had the edge over BJP in assembly polls. Now, it is their turn to give back to our community. We are also going to gherao them or to boycott them, if Congress leaders and elected representatives fail to be on our side."

"BJP leaders are not our target because they have a clear stand and that is against reservation and they have tasted the fruits of that. Now, it is the Congress' turn to show their accountability. We will also hold rallies across Gujarat to create awareness among people of our community on this," he added.

However, the SPG spokesperson avoided commenting whether they would act against PAAS' strategy showing solidarity for Congress or its anti-BJP stand or not. He also avoided to react on would this announcement help BJP directly or indirectly.

In the press conference, SPG announced their future programmes including gherao of assembly and outreach programme. They also demanded immediate release of PAAS leader Alpesh Kathiria who is detained by police in criminal case.

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Sardar Patel Group (SPG)

Lalji Patel