Over 200 PAAS Members Join BJP, Dealing Blow to Congress and AAP in Surat

Surat : In a significant political development, over 200 members of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) have made a decisive shift, leaving the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Saurashtrian Patidar-dominated areas of Surat. The mass defection occurred during a clandestine meeting organized by dissident AAP leaders Alpesh Kathiriya and Dharmik Malaviya, who recently switched allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The meeting took place at Gurudev Farm in Sarthana on Monday evening.

Gathering at Gurudev Farm, more than 250 PAAS workers convened under the leadership of Alpesh and Dharmik. The primary agenda of the meeting was to persuade PAAS members to align with the BJP and advocate for Patidar reservation with the support of the Gujarat BJP government.

Alpesh Kathiriya and Dharmik Malaviya’s involvement in the PAAS agitation in Gujarat, with Surat as its epicenter, is noteworthy. During the 2015 agitation, which was spearheaded by Hardik Patel, Nilesh Kumbhani, now infamous for engineering his disqualification from the Surat Lok Sabha seat, played a prominent role alongside Alpesh and Dharmik.

Following their stint with the PAAS, Alpesh Kathiriya and Dharmik Malaviya joined the AAP party and contested from the Varachha and Olpad assembly seats during the 2022 Gujarat assembly elections. However, they suffered defeat at the hands of BJP candidates.

The mass defection of PAAS members to the BJP signifies a significant blow to the Congress and AAP’s influence in the Patidar stronghold of Surat. It underscores the shifting political dynamics and the BJP’s growing appeal among sections of the Patidar community.

The move also highlights the strategic maneuvering of the BJP, leveraging the influence of former PAAS leaders to bolster its support base ahead of crucial elections. With over 200 PAAS members now aligning with the BJP, the party stands poised to consolidate its position in Surat and potentially sway electoral outcomes in the region.