‘Will Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor be rewarded for DESERTING Congress? BIG decisions likely in BJP core committee meeting today

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will on Tuesday chair a crucial meeting of Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) core committee members as the party gears up for the upcoming assembly elections in the state. According to reports, all leaders of the Gujarat BJP core committee have already reached Delhi to attend the crucial meeting. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel is also in the national capital and is also likely to meet the BJP top brass ahead of the meeting.

If sources are to be believed, BJP may reward the Patidar Quota Agitation leader, Hardik Patel and Alpesh Thakor for their rebellion against Congress by fielding them as party candidates in the upcoming assembly elections.

Hardik Patel, who once caused a political storm in Gujarat politics by spearheading the Patidar Quota Movement, may be fielded as a BJP candidate from the Viramgam assembly seat in the upcoming election. Hardik Patel was working president of Congress before he quit the party. Similarly, the saffron party may also project Alpesh Thakor, who played a pivotal role in the OBC reservation issue, as its candidate. Like Hardik, Alpesh also had a brief stay in Congress.

Earlier on Monday, an important meeting between state BJP president CR Patil, Gujarat Chief Minister and Amit Shah was held at the latter's residence. Meanwhile, the BJP will hold a meeting of its Central Election Committee (CEC) on Wednesday evening in a bid to finalise the first list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls.

This meeting will take place in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president JP Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and BJP state president CR Patil and other members of the CEC and the state unit.

The meeting is scheduled at the party headquarters in Delhi. "An initial round of the meeting has taken place at the state headquarters in Gandhinagar over three days during which a shortlist of candidates has already been prepared which will be brought in for consideration and finalisation to the CEC," sources said.

"Ahead of the meeting of the CEC, the BJP Gujarat core group will also have a separate meeting with JP Nadda and Amit Shah," another source said. News agency ANI cited another source as saying, "Since all the central and state leadership may be present during this meeting, it is also likely that a separate discussion will take place with the top brass on planning the campaigning for the upcoming polls especially with PM Narendra Modi having instructed them to target the highest poll numbers ever."

Gujarat has been a BJP bastion for decades together. BJP is seeking its sixth term in office. Before becoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi was Gujarat`s longest-serving Chief Minister from 2001 to 2014.

On November 3, the election commission of India announced the election dates for Gujarat. Polling will take place on two dates in two phases on December 1 and December 5 respectively.  In the first phase, polling will be held for 89 seats while the second phase will see voting for 93 seats. The term of the 182-member state Assembly ends on February 18, 2023.

The state of Gujarat has seen a traditional face-off between the ruling BJP and its traditional rival Congress party. However, in the upcoming elections a new entrant, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), is being keenly watched in the poll fray.