Gujarat elections: Don’t vote for BJP, NCP or AAP, says Hardik Patel in Surat

"The Patidar community people had remained loyal to BJP, when the party was being ruled by Keshubhai Patel, Vallabhbhai Katheriya and Atal Bihari Vajpayee but now the party has such people who had done physical torture on us."

Hardik Patel (Express Photo/Javed Raja/file)

Patidar leader Hardik Patel on Sunday told voters in Surat not to vote either for the BJP, NCP or AAP, but vote for “a party that would form the government”.

His thinly-veiled canvassing for the Congress came at the end of a huge roadshow at Yogi Chowk in Surat. The 16 seats of Surat city and district will see the maximum number of NCP candidates in any one district at nine, thus leading to a three-way fight.

Hardik said: “The BJP feels there is no other option for Patidars, as they will definitely vote for them. As for the Congress, it is afraid even after huge meetings by Patidars here in 2007 (of the rebel Maha Gujarat Janata Parishad launched by Gordhan Zadaphia), and in 2012 (by Keshubhai Patel’s Gujarat Parivartan Party) there was no translation into votes. So the time has come to show our loyalty and our power. We should not caste vote either to the NCP or AAP or any Independent candidate, and certainly not BJP, but we should vote such a party which will form a government.”

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Hardik took an oath with the youths seated on the ground in Yogi Chowk. Along with Hardik, all the youths put their mobile phone lights on and took oath that they will not forgive those who had killed 14 Patidar youths, “will not be lured by the BJP leaders” and will “reach the polling station in the morning and will not vote for the BJP”.

The also took oath to inform “our family members and friends to go to the polling station on time to exercise their voting rights, but not to vote for the BJP”. He said that two days ago, “I received a call from one rich person (Himmat Patel) of Surat, and he offered me Rs 5 crore, with a condition that not to come to Surat and organise rally and public meeting. I denied the offer.”

He said: “The Patidar community people had remained loyal to BJP, when the party was being ruled by Keshubhai Patel, Vallabhbhai Katheriya and Atal Bihari Vajpayee but now the party has such people who had done physical torture on us.”

Attacking on the BJP government, Hardik said, “They claim that Vikas (progress) has been done, I want to say that Vikas has not gone mad, but Vikas is yet to take birth. If vikas would have been done, then why have you come here to Surat to earn money and now you work in diamond units. You have left working in the agricultural fields in your native place in Saurashtra due to water problems.”

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Hardik in the middle of his speech told Patidar youths to take out their mobile phone. He said, “I am giving you five minutes. Call your parents and relatives at your native place and inform them not to vote for BJP.”