In a clear sign of rift in the Patels' agitation for reservation, Lalji Patel, who had played a prominent role at the beginning of the stir, on Thursday said that "no single person was the leader of the movement".
"No one is the leader of the agitation, this is an agitation of the entire community....not me or even Hardik bhai. This agitation has been led by all soldiers of Patel community," said Lalji, who heads Sardar Patel Group (SPG).
Patel, who had mentored Hardik when latter joined the SPG, was answering the reporters' question whether he saw the 22-year-old as the leader of the agitation. Further, Lalji said, a new team would be formed to take the agitation forward.
"All the senior members of the Patidar communities have decided to merge all existing committees or associations leading the quota agitation, into a single team of Gujarat. This team will lead this agitation," he said, indicating that Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti would be sidelined.
"This agitation is not for a single leader," he said. When asked if community members would face any confusion while choosing between him and Hardik, Lalji reiterated that there was no single leader of the movement.
Hardi had been entrusted with looking after social media affairs of the SPG (before he virtually became the face of the agitation), he said. "Hardik has been skillfully handling social media for the community. He has so far handled it perfectly and I hope he will continue to do that job," said Lalji.
Hardik hogged the national headlines after his aggressive speech at August 25 mega-rally of Patels here, and the violence which followed across Gujarat. Ten people were killed in the agitation.
"We want to form a team of (members drawn from) all the existing committees and associations of the Patel community in Gujarat, because people are at present confused about choosing the leader of the agitation, but there cannot be one leader of this movement," Lalji Patel said.
Condolence meetings for the community members who died in the recent agitation would be organised at tehsil and district levels on September 6, he said. This will, significantly, coincide with `reverse Dandi yatra' announced by Hardik Patel.
When asked if he will support the yatra, he said, "I am in support of the Dandi yatra of Hardik Patel, but he has to take all the community members along. "He is the convener of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti, whereas we have Sardar Patel Group which has been leading this movement for around 15 years," he added.
