I have no political ambition, says Hardik Patel

AHMEDABAD: He may have galvanised his Patel castemen by the quota stir, but Hardik Patel today dismissed speculations about his political ambitions and said neither he nor anybody involved in the agitation will contest elections.

Hardik's clarification came a day after some Patel leaders announced they were planning to contest the upcoming local bodies polls.

"P C Patel is not with us. He announced yesterday about his own party Bharatiya Rashtravadi Party (that it will contest local bodies polls). As far as I know, the name of this party was registered by him in 2003. This might be his attempt to gain political advantage from the ongoing agitation," the 22-year-old Patel community leade alleged.

Hardik is the convener of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti, while P C Patel belongs to Sardar Patel Group (SPG - a parallel organisation working for Patel quota), which had earlier supported PAAS in its bid to get the influential Patels included in the OBC category.

After their mega rally in the city on August 25 and subsequent violence across the state, SPG leader Lalji Patel drifted away and started a parallel movement.

Hardik today asked his fellow Patidar castemen to keep distance from anyone trying to take advantage of the agitation to further his political ambition.

"Formation of a political party is an attempt to mislead the Patel community for personal gains. PAAS is nowhere associated with it. I request people to stay away from those who are doing vote bank politics," he said.

"I don't have any political ambition. I don't wish to become a (political) leader. I want to assure you that none of the PAAS leaders will ever contest any polls, not even as independent candidates. I give freedom to my community to throw stones at my house if I ever contest polls," he said.