Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Ahead of key appointments, including that of state president, in the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC), the party high command is weighing caste equations to ensure representation of influential communities in the state with an eye on the next year’s assembly election.
The party is expected to announce names of new state president, leader of opposition and other committees by this week. Sources said that the caste factor is expected to play a key role in appointments to the vacant and new posts.
“The party is expected to pick an OBC-Tribal-Patidar combination for party chief, leader of opposition and head of the campaign committee. This combination gives representation to communities in the majority of seats,” said a senior Gujarat leader.
In the 182-seat Assembly, there are 80 seats with OBC dominance, 27 reserved for tribals and Patidars with 12 per cent population having dominance on around 60 seats.
The OBC population has influential Thakors in north and Kolis in central Gujarat.
Sources further said that the party has already picked Hardik Patel as working president and now focus would be to appoint leaders from OBC and tribal communities.
“In 2018, the party brought an OBC (Amit Chavda) as GPCC chief and Patidar leader Paresh Dhanani as LoP. This time also the caste combination has to be kept in mind to give a tough fight,” said another leader.
In 2017, the party contested elections under OBC leader Bharatsinh Solanki while tribal leader Mohan Rathva was LoP.
Names of Patel, former state chiefs Solanki and Arjun Modhwadia and Rajya Sabha MP Shaktisinh Gohil are doing rounds for the top post in the state.
“The party is likely to give reins of the Gujarat unit to a senior and experienced leader so that everyone is united while young leaders like Patel and Mevani are expected to lead the election campaign,” said sources.
