The Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaderships have been trading barbs of late—each accusing the other of cozying up to the BJP. They insist that the INDIA bloc stands solely for the Lok Sabha elections. In the meantime, an unexpected alliance has emerged in south Gujarat.
Congress MLA Anant Patel and AAP legislator Chaitar Vasava, both influential tribal leaders, have joined forces, cutting across party lines to defend tribal rights. Patel has now thrown his weight behind Vasava, who was recently arrested by Narmada police. He called for a statewide mobilisation of tribal organisations demanding his release.
Vasava was arrested late on July 5 on the alleged charges of attempted murder. He allegedly assaulted a taluka panchayat functionary during a heated altercation in Dediapada, Narmada district.
Patel, the Vansda MLA from Navsari, posted a video on social media in which he claims to have the backing of tribal communities. He believed the Narmada police had acted illegally by arresting Vasava. He also recalled how both Vasava and he had recently led a successful protest against DGVCL officials who, despite candidates being on the merit list and having cleared both written and practical tests, denied jobs to tribal and OBC youths.
Patel further accused the ruling BJP of weaponising the police to serve its political interests. He condemned the state government’s actions, stating that the BJP treats the police department as if it were its own cadre.
Furthermore, he revealed plans for a protest march named Nyay Yatra in support of the arrested MLA and announced that demonstrators would lay siege to the Dediapada police station.
Patel also urged all tribal organisations and political leaders across Gujarat to unite in the campaign. He insisted that the tribal community had never bowed down before injustice and would not begin now.
He made it clear that his support for Vasava was rooted in tribal unity, not party politics. He said leaders from South and Central Gujarat had been called for a joint meeting to plan statewide protests. His aim: to unite all tribal voices behind Vasava.
AAP’s State General Secretary Manoj Sorathiya welcomed Patel’s intervention, remarking that the two leaders shared a close friendship. He said that Vasava’s bail application would be filed in the Rajpipla court and alleged that the government intended to prolong his detention. Sorathiya also appealed to tribal organisations across the state to rally behind Vasava.
This unusual show of tribal solidarity comes against a backdrop of deepening hostilities between the national leaderships of Congress and AAP.
We may recall that during his July 3 visit to Gujarat, AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal had mocked the Congress and BJP as secret lovers and reiterated that the INDIA alliance was restricted to Lok Sabha elections. Back in April, Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil had accused the AAP of violating the principles of alliance dharma.
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