Seat-sharing issues for Congress as Alpesh Thakor, Hardik Patel seek share of pie

Congress may have been upbeat to have bagged the support of OBC and Patidar leaders Alpesh Thakor and Hardik Patel, but coming down to brass tacks, the party is facing an age-old problem: seat sharing.

While Thakor has officially joined Congress, Patel has not minced words in extending his support to the party. But now both are demanding their pound of flesh in terms of tickets for their candidates.

According to Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti sources, the group has demand as many as 22 seats from Congress. These are for 10 conveners and a dozen other members of the community. But the conveners said they would continue with PAAS whether or not they get a seat in the election.

“We are in this because of the agitation and there is no way we are giving it up,” said one of the conveners ET spoke to.

Thakor has been demanding seats for his candidates and had left the local Congress leadership redfaced recently when he announced that Geniben Thakor would contest from Vav in North Gujarat.

Congress leader Arjun Modvadia said Patel himself has not demanded any seats and Thakor, being a part of Congress, has every right to suggest names.

“Everything is being handled by Ashok Gehlotji and the list will be finalised with the approval of the (party) president and VP,” Modvadia added.

A Congress source had earlier told ET that a part of the deal that the party had with Thakor was to let him have his opinion on “some” seats in North Gujarat.