United fight will dethrone BJP: Sibal
Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Wednesday thanked Patidar leader Hardik Patel for declaring his support to the party in the Gujarat Assembly polls, and said their united fight would dethrone the BJP.
Declaring his support, Patel said the Congress had accepted its demand for reservation for the community. The PAAS leader said the Congress would include the extension of reservation benefit to Patidars in its election manifesto.
Sibal, however, held his cards close to his chest when asked about details of the formula the Congress and the Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) have worked out on the quota demand.
The former Union minister said winning the Gujarat elections was the priority so that the promises made to the people of the state could be fulfilled.
Sibal, who had held meetings with the PAAS leadership on the quota issue earlier, also accused the BJP of betraying the community’s trust by not doing anything for it during its 22-year rule in the state. “We are very happy that a ‘sanjha morcha’ (united front) will now fight against the BJP... Our target is to win the election and fulfil the promises made to the people,” Sibal told reporters here. Asked about details of the formula agreed upon by the two sides, Sibal said Patel himself would talk about it.
“These issues will be decided later. First we have to fight together, win the election, then fulfil the promises made,” he said.
Sibal added the Congress has given the PAAS a suggestion “keeping in mind the issues they raised before us”.
To a question, he also made light of Gujarat Deputy chief minister Nitin Patel’s reported comment that the Congress’s suggestion would not hold ground constitutionally and that it would be used only to garner votes.
NEWDELHI: