AAP to fight Gujarat polls from Patidar strongholds

AHMEDABAD : In the run up to its political debut in Gujarat, the Aam Aadmi Party has looked to garner votes of Patidars --- the community which has been up in arms against the BJP government in home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Of the 20 seats short-listed by AAP for contesting December polls, 12 are in Patidar dominated areas and rest are in reserved Dalit and tribal constituencies.

Among these 12 seats, Petlad is the only Congress bastion. Rest have been stronghold of the BJP for many years now.

The Patidar community of industrialists and farmers has been staunch supporter of the BJP for almost three decades. However, this time the community youth, who have been demanding reservation in government jobs and educational institutions under Hardik Patel leadership, have given a call to defeat the BJP.

The results in Dalit and tribal seats that the AAP has been focusing on have swung in favour of either BJP, Congress, NCP or even independents in recent years. As per the history of the state, voters have never accepted any third option other than BJP and Congress. The small alternatives that emerged has only benefitted the BJP.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led party had raised issues of corruption, unemployment and farmers and its pitch is quite similar to that of the Congress.

AAP is not the only claimant to the anti-BJP and Congress votes.

The NCP, which so far has contested as a Congress ally, has also announced to contest from 100 of total 182 segments in Gujarat. Besides, former CM Shankersinh Vaghela, who resigned from Congress before August Rajya Sabha elections, also declared support to Jan Vikalp, a party that claims to be an alternative to BJP and Congress.

AAP is hopeful of doing well. “Unlike the options were available in the past, AAP is not a product of faction that would have come out of BJP or the Congress,” said AAP’s spokesperson Harshil Nayak.