Dalit leader Mevani to contest from Vadgam as independent
gandhinagar — Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani on Monday announced he will contest the Gujarat Assembly elections as independent candidate from Vadgam constituency in Banaskantha district.
The Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch leader, social activist and lawyer made the announcement on his Twitter handle, hours after the opposition Congress declared its third list of 76 candidates, which failed to show candidature for Vadgam. Mevani had earlier shown disinterest in contesting the elections and had expressed support for the Congress.
His announcement came after the Congress brought out its third list of candidates for the second phase of Gujarat Assembly elections. In a tweet, he said: “Friends, I’m contesting from Vadgam-11 seat of Banaskantha district of Gujarat as an independent candidate. We shall fight, we shall win.”
The Congress in its third list failed to show any candidature for Vadgam constituency, which will be contested on December 14.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal congratulated Mevani and expressed his best wishes to the young activist. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in an official statement said, “When the Dalit agitation leader Jignesh Mevani is contesting the Vadgam seat as an independent, the AAP won’t be fielding any contestant for the seat and as appealed by him, the party believes that it should be a straight fight between him and the BJP.” —