Gujarat’s Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel was appointed working president of the State Congress.
The State unit had recently witnessed an exodus of legislators.
Twenty-seven-year-old Mr. Patel, who had launched a massive agitation demanding quota for the Patidar community in Gujarat in 2015, is perhaps the youngest leader with State-level responsibility in the Opposition party.
His appointment was cleared by the party president Sonia Gandhi.
“Hardik Patel is a young leader with a massive following in the State. His appointment will strengthen the organisational base of the party in Gujarat,” said Rajeev Satav, AICC’s Gujarat in-charge.
According to party leaders, with the appointment of Mr. Patel, the Congress party is making a serious and determined attempt to woo the politically significant Patidar community ahead of the Assembly polls due in 2022.
He could also play a crucial role in eight assembly by-polls, necessitated by the resignation of sitting legislators ahead of the recent Rajya Sabha polls.
Mr. Patel had joined the Congress before last year’s general elections in the presence of Rahul Gandhi.
