The Patidar leader will be “the face of Shiv Sena” in Gujarat Assembly polls. Days after Shiv Sena and BJP announced the end of its decades-old alliance, Patidar agitation leader Hardik Patel met Uddhav Thackeray at the latter’s residence in Mumbai on Tuesday.
The young Mr. Patel, who spearheaded the Patidar agitation in Gujarat seeking reservation for Patel community visited Matoshri, the official residence of the Thackerays.
Uddhav ji and I welcome @HardikPatel_ at Matoshri, he came to pay his tribute to @ShivSena Pramukh Shri Balasaheb Thackeray
— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) February 7, 2017
Hardikbhai and Uddhav ji discussed their respective views on fight against social injustice and the way forward
— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) February 7, 2017
Media reports suggested Mr. Patel was roped in to campaign for Shiv Sena in the upcoming local body elections.
In a media conference, Mr. Thackeray announced that Mr. Patel will be “Shiv Sena’s face in Gujarat Assembly polls.” While Mr. Patel is a self-professed admirer of the late Sena supremo, Sena’s mouthpiece Saamna had published editorials lauding the Patidar leader of “supplanting Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a crowd-puller.”
