Hardik Patel Holds Meeting With Praful Patel  

Patidar quota stir spearhead Hardik Patel today held a meeting with senior NCP leader Praful Patel to discuss various aspects related to the next month's Gujarat Assembly polls, including the possibility of a united fight against the BJP, an NCP leader said.While Hardik Patel did not reveal much as to what exactly transpired during the meet, NCP leader Rajendra Jain said both the leaders talked about the possibility of working together to defeat ruling BJP in the election.

"NCP leader Praful Patel met me today for wishing Diwali greetings. It was a nice meeting," Hardik tweeted after the meeting.According to Mr Jain, who is the NCP's observer for Gujarat, the discussion largely revolved around exploring possibilities of a united fight against BJP.

"Since it's election time, it is obvious that leaders meet each other. There was no specific agenda of today's meet.Prafulji and Hardik discussed about coming together to fight against BJP, which is facing anti-incumbency," Mr Jain said.The meeting took place at a time when Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi is in Gujarat for his party's poll campaign.Last year, Praful Patel, who is the state NCP in-charge, hinted at taking support of the Patel community for the assembly elections.Though the NCP's relations with the Congress deteriorated after the Rajya Sabha polls after two of its MLAs claimed to have voted for the BJP candidate, Gujarat Congress leaders recently hinted to work with the NCP during the polls.

However, no formal announcement about any pre-poll alliance has been made yet. Hardik Patel has put forward a set of demands before the Congress as a pre-condition for extending support to the party in the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls. On Saturday, he asked the Congress to make its stand clear by November 3 on how it would ensure reservation for the community.The Gujarat Assembly polls are scheduled to be held in two phases -- on December 9 and December 14.