Quota row: RLSP leader Akilesh Katiyar asked PR firm to manage Hardik Patel’s Delhi rally

GANDHINAGAR: Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti leader Hardik Patel’s agitation for education and job reservation for his community in Gujarat had an unlikely supporter in BJP’s Bihar ally, the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party, which engaged a public relations firm to handle PAAS’ media and publicity for the rally in Delhi.

Abhishek Katiyar of PR firm Brands2life told ET that it was RLSP leader Akhilesh Katiyar who had approached the agency to manage the show for Patel in Delhi. “Senior Kurmi leader Akilesh Katiyar had asked us to handle the campaign,” Abhishek told ET, adding that this was the first interaction of the firm with the Patel leader.

Abhishek said that his firm had managed the election campaign of BJP candidate Ajay Agarawal, who contested against Sonia Gandhi in Rai Bareli and also manages the Delhi visits of Kerala BJP president V Murlidharan. The firm was also involved against the Anna Hazare’s Jan Lokpal campaign and is in talks with a few candidates from Bihar to manage their campaigns for the forthcoming assembly elections. “We did campaign for Dr Udit Raj during Anna Hazare’s campaign for Jan Lokpal and organised counter rallies and dharnas,” Katiyar said. Udit Raj later joined the BJP and represents one of the Lok Sabha seats from Delhi, apart from being the chairman of the All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations.