Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, on Monday, 27 November, announced his decision to contest the upcoming Gujarat assembly elections as an Independent candidate from Vadgam constituency.
“Friends, I’m contesting from Vadgam-11 seat of Banaskantha district of Gujarat as an independent candidate,” Mevani tweeted.
He declared his candidature as sitting MLA Manibhai Vaghela said the state unit of the Congress had asked him not to enter the fray "as a part of an agreement" with the Dalit activist.
Vaghela said the Congress had given its indirect support to Mevani for the Vadgam seat, reserved for scheduled caste (SC) candidates.
"The party has asked me not to contest from the Vadgam seat this time. Though Mevani will contest the poll as an Independent, he will have the Congress’ support. Thus, there won't be any Congress candidate on this seat," Vaghela said.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also showed his solidarity with Mevani’s candidature, taking to Twitter to congratulate him on his decision.
AAP has also decided to not to field any candidate against Mevani from the Vadgam constituency. The seat is reserved for scheduled castes.
"The AAP has decided not to field any candidate from Vadgam from where Dalit protest leader Jignesh Mevani is contesting as an Independent candidate.”
"Looking at the appeal made by him, the party believes that the contest should be between the BJP and Jignesh Mevani," the party said in a statement.
Mevani’s announcement comes on a day when the Congress released its third list of 76 candidates for the second phase of the election.
The announcement comes a day after he embarked on a 10-day Gujarat tour along with Hardik Patel. Earlier in November, Mevani asserted that while he wants to oust the BJP from power, he will not support any political party. His announcement marks an end to months of speculation that the Congress had successfully wooed Mevani and Hardik Patel to ally with them for the elections.
The 'Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch' leader rose to prominence after he led the Dalit agitation in Gujarat following the Una Dalit flogging incident in 2016.
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