Viramgam: The Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti convener Hardik Patel casts his vote in Viramgam. The BJP is hoping that Patel supporting the Congress will not impact the party in a major way. A large number of Patels are traders and the party is hopeful that the recent decision by the centre on the goods and services tax will turn things in their favour. Modi has also reached out to the Swaminarayan sect, whose members are mostly Patels.
Apart from Saurashtra, Patels also have a strong presence in northern and central Gujarat.
Patel had gone on a 15-km-long roadshow in Ahmedabad on the 11th despite being denied police permission.
Hundreds of supporters of the quota agitation leader had gone on a rally on motorcycles and four-wheelers through the main city area, even as police said they will take legal action against him for holding the roadshow without permission.
