It's official! Hardik-Cong deal sealed in Gujarat

Ahmedabad: Patidar quota stir leader Hardik Patel on Wednesday declared his support to the Congress for the Gujarat Assembly elections, saying that the opposition party has accepted the demand of giving reservation to his community in a "special category".

The Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader said that reservation formula given by the Congress for his community would be over and above the 50 percent quota for the SC, ST and OBCs.

On the 50 percent reservation cap set by the Supreme Court, he said that it is just a "suggestion".

Hardik said if the Congress comes to power, it will conduct a proper survey for providing reservation. The party will bring a Bill in the state Assembly and give reservation, he said.

"My fight in Gujarat is against the BJP, and that is why we will directly or indirectly support Congress (in the elections) as it has accepted our demand for reservation," he added.

"Congress has promised to include our demand in its manifesto," he said.

"The percentage of reservation under a special category to be given to us will be decided after the survey conducted by the commission to be formed by the government."

"As per the formula, without touching the 49 percent quota (now provided in the state) to the Schedule Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC) and Other Backward Class (OBC), the Congress has decided to provide quota to the communities, who have not got the benefit of reservation so far under Article 31 (C) and Article 46 of the Constitution," he told reporters here. More reports inside