Dalit activist Jignesh Mewani has announced that he will contest from Vadgam, North Gujarat as an independent candidate in the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections.
The Congress is unlikely to field a candidate in Vadgam. Sources said the party may support Mr. Mewani's candidature.
Mr. Mewani, who has been vocal against ruling BJP government had earlier said he wouldn't share the dais with any party leader but would work to ensure the BJP's defeat. In an interview to The Hindu , Mr. Mewani had said, "my role is to ensure that the over seven per cent Dalits in Gujarat don't vote for the BJP."
The moves comes after sitting MLA Manibhai Vaghela said the state Congress asked him not to contest the polls from the seat “as a part of an agreement” with Mr. Mevani.
Mewani announced his candidature through Twitter. He wrote, “Friends, I’m contesting from Vadgam-11 seat of Banaskantha district of Gujarat as an independent candidate. We shall fight, we shall win.”
Mr. Vaghela said the Congress has given an indirect support to Mr. Mevani for Vadgam seat, reserved for a Scheduled Caste (SC) candidate.
“The party has asked me not to contest from the Vadgam seat this time. Though Mr. Mevani will contest the polls as an Independent, he will have Congress’ support. Thus, there won’t be any Congress candidate on this seat,” Mr. Vaghela told PTI .
The AAP too, has decided not to contest in Vadgam. “The AAP has decided not to field any candidate from Vadgam from where Dalit protest leader Jignesh Mewani is contesting as an Independent candidate. Looking at the appeal made by him, the party believes that the contest should be between the BJP and Jignesh Mewani,” the party said in a statement.
The BJP had announced Vijay Chakravarthi as it's Vadgam candidate.
Meanwhile, OBC leader Alpesh Thakor will be contesting the Assembly polls from Radhanpur on a Congress ticket, the party has announced.
Polling in Vadgam and Radhanpur will be held on December 14.
