Mumbai: The Shiv Sena has reportedly turned to Hardik Patel, the popular leader of the Patel reservation movement in Gujarat, to campaign for the party in the upcoming Mumbai civic polls.
Things have not been going smoothly for the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition and the latter recently announced that it will contest the BMC elections separately and not with its ally. However it remains in alliance with Narendra Modi-party at the Centre, and in Maharashtra.
The move to rope in Hardik is presumably to woo the Gujarati population where the BJP is supposed to have an upper hand. . Hardik is likely to have a meeting with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at the latter’s residence Tuesday afternoon. It is being said that after the meeting, he will also address a rally in the city.
During the 2014 assembly election it was noted that majority of the votes casted in Gujurati dominated areas was for the BJP and this may be a decisive factor in the BMC polls. Hardik who rose to fame with the Patidar agitation is like a hero figure for many in the community.
