As the electoral caravan rolls into Gujarat this year-end after the recent high-stakes polls to five States, the role of the Patidar community assumes critical importance. And with it, the likely political debut of businessman and social worker Naresh Patel.
Patidars, though only around 15% of the State’s population, are the dominant caste of Gujarat having disproportionate control over agriculture, cooperatives, small and medium enterprises and trade. The Rajkot-based Mr. Patel, through his community work, has emerged as the leader of a Patidar sub-caste, the Leuva Patidars, who are influential in around 35 Assembly seats in Saurashtra, Ahmedabad and Surat.
