Hardik Patel gets political visitors

Trinamool, RJD leaders call on Patidar leader who is on an indefinite fast.

Patidar leader Hardik Patel in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

A Trinamool Congress delegation called on Gujarat Patidar quota leader Hardik Patel on Sunday to extend support on the second day of Mr. Patel’s indefinite fast.

Former Railway Minister and Trinamool leader Dinesh Trivedi, representatives of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and leader of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) Jitan Ram Manjhi called on Mr. Patel at his residence near Ahmedabad, the venue of the fast, to extend their support.

Over 500 women from across the State called on him to tie

rakhis on Sunday, on the occasion of Rakshabandhan.

Mr. Patel claimed that the police had prevented hundreds of women coming from Saurashtra and north Gujarat to extend their support to the fight for quota and farmers’ issues from participating.

He is holding an indefinite fast to press for the demand of a quota for the Patidar community, and also to seek farm debt waiver in the State.

Shiv Sena delegation

Sources said delegations from the Shiv Sena and other political parties are likely to visit him in the coming days. The Opposition Congress in Gujarat is already supporting Mr. Patel’s demands. RJD leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav and others are also likely to visit.

Bharat Bhushan Mandal, an RJD representative, said, “Hardik is emerging as a national leader.”

Mr. Patel’s supporters sang bhajans and observed a symbolic fast in his support at the venue. The State government has directed that Mr. Patel should undergo a medical check-up every day while on his fast. Doctors on Sunday advised Mr. Patel to take liquids.

The Patidar Anamant Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader began the fast at 3 p.m. on Saturday in the presence of his supporters and several Congress MLAs.

(With inputs from PTI)