New Delhi: Gujarat Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani on Wednesday said that he will not share stage with the Congress or any other party during the upcoming Assembly elections in the state but asserted that his sole aim was to defeat the BJP.
The Dalit leader, who has come into prominence since the public floggings of Dalits in Una last year, also said that his meetings with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi did not mean there was some political adjustment being made with the Congress.
“Our aim is to defeat the BJP,” Mevani said, explaining that if at all his supporters contest polls, it would be as independent candidates and not on the Congress symbol.
He said that though there were many social contradictions among Patels, Dalits and OBCs led by Alpesh Thakore, who has joined the Congress, all the communities were united in their need to overthrow the BJP government in the state.
Mevani said that he would not join any political party but the message has been sent to voters that they should not vote for BJP. “It will be a historical election. If the Constitution and democracy has to be saved, then RSS and BJP need to be stopped,” he said adding that the BJP is rattled. “The party is desperate and the Hardik Patel sex CD shows that they want to digress from real issues.”
“The Gujarat model is a sham. Today all sections of OBCs, Dalits, Patels and farmers are on the road protesting and agitating in Gujarat,” he said.
Claiming that the BJP would communalise the poll agenda with “Ram vs Haj” debate, he challenged the ruling party to a debate on issues of development and job creation. “All three of us — Alpesh, Hardik and I are ready to debate with them at a venue of their choice,” he said.
On the prospects of the BJP in the coming polls, he said that he would go with the prediction of around 80 votes for the BJP.
On how fresh quota can be created for Patidars, Mevani said: “It is a complex issue. It is for constitutional experts to decide and political parties to take forward. But issues like inflation and job creation should be talked about and people need to come together for this.”
“You claim to be vibrant Gujarat, but then have 43 per cent malnourished children in your state,” he added.
