Gujarat Republic Day function in Patidar zone Mehsana

Mehsana (Google maps)

The BJP-led Gujarat government has chosen Mehsana, the epicentre of Patidar quota agitation, as the venue for the state function to celebrate the Republic Day. Sources said the government was earlier planning to hold the function in Navsari, but changed the venue to Patidar-dominated Mehsana at the last minute. The move is being seen as an attempt to allay the perception that the BJP is bereft of support in the district.

Officials of the General Administration Department (GAD) said they had received instructions from the state government to hold the function in Mehsana and not anywhere else. A senior minister in the Rupani government said, “Earlier, the government was considering to hold the function in Navsari. But recently the CM took the decision to organise it in Mehsana. It was only the CM’s call.”

On reasons behind the decision, the minister said, “It is clearly to make our presence felt in Mehsana. A wrong perception has been emerging that BJP is not strong in Mehsana. For long, we have not organised any major function in Mehsana. So I assume that the CM has chosen Mehsana over Navsari to allay public perception that we are not strong there.”

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Mehsana is considered to be the cradle of Patidar reservation agitation. The protests began first in July 2015 under the Sardar Patel Group (SPG), led by Lalji Patel.

Mehsana district was subsequently believed to be the BJP’s “vulnerable” point. In the Assembly elections, however, BJP won five of seven constituencies in Mehsana district, including Mehsana and Visnagar seats.