10-12 Congress Candidates Would Move Gujarat High Court for Recount: Hardik Patel

New Delhi: Hardik Patel, the Patidar leader who made the election difficult for the BJP, on Tuesday claimed that 10-12 Congress candidates who lost the Gujarat assembly election would challenge the Election Commission’s decision in the High Court.

Still appearing in battle mode, the 24-year-old said a recount is needed as people in the urban Patidar strongholds of Surat and Rajkot were left shocked with the verdict. He blamed the EVMs for the loss and said that the BJP won by tampering with the voting machines.

“All the people in the state are not happy. All are shocked. There was a time people used to distribute laddoos here… so many turned up for our rallies. There must be a recount using VVPAT,” he said.

Patel was unable to contest the elections as he was too young, but took credit for 50 per cent of the votes Congress received. “Many Congress candidates that I backed won,” he said. The Congress won 17 of the 39 seats where Patidars were in a substantial number.

Patel said he would continue his agitation for Patidars and would also launch a campaign to remove communal distrust. “I will not stop even if the BJP sends me to jail. If they do, I will show them the result of that in 2019 polls,” he added.