OBC leader Alpesh Thakore flexes muscles with 15 thousand men

AHMEDABAD: In what could raise the discomfiture of the BJP in Gujarat, OBC leader Alpesh Thakore flexed his muscles in a big way in Gandhinagar on Sunday. Thakore since January has been carrying out de-addiction drives as well as raids in the liquor dens across the state. This, however, has been more to do with his effort to consolidate the Thakore community, which forms the largest voter base in the state. On Sunday around 15,000 people gathered in Gandhinagar for the event. Interestingly, while Thakore’s OBC-SC-ST Ekta Manch had come into existence as a response to the Patidar agitation demanding OBC status, exiled Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti convener Hardik Patel extended his support to Thakore’s cause.

Further, Dalit leader Jignesh Mewani, too sought to piggy ride the event to regain some relevance in the state polity and appeared on stage with Thakore. The convergence of the groups, according to analysts, could spell trouble for the ruling dispensation in 2017 elections. Thakore has not only sought stricter implementation of prohibition laws, but also generation of employment for the Gujarati youth.

Earlier speaking to ET, Thakore had maintained that while he welcomes the effort of the state government to attract investments through Vibrant Gujarat Summit, he will oppose the summit scheduled in January next year unless the state government ensures that 85% of the jobs are reserved for the youth of Gujarat. While Thakore had threatened to intensify the agitation and sit on a hunger strike unless his demands were met, the state government invited Thakore and his team members for a discussion in the evening.