After PAAS Ultimatum, Kapil Sibal Assures Solution Within Constitutional Framework

New Delhi: Congress is likely to announce its decision on the Patidar reservation in the next 24 hours. Senior party leader Kapil Sibal on Saturday assured the key functionaries of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) that they would find a solution on the quota issue "within the constitutional framework".

Sibal arrived in Vadodara on Saturday afternoon for final round of talks with PAAS members.

Sibal's assurance came after PAAS had issued an ultimatum to the Congress to clear its stand on the issue within 24 hours or face protests from Patidars.

PAAS convener Dinesh Bambhaniya said, "Congress called us to Delhi and made us wait for a very long time. This is like a joke being played on us. The Gujarat Congress president does not even receive our phone calls. If Congress does not agree to our demands, we have other options available to us as well. Congress will have to face protests all across Gujarat."

While Sibal reacted quickly to Bambhaniya's statement, sources indicate that PAAS is just trying to build pressure on the Congress. Sources said PAAS leaders are trying to arm twist the Congress into alloting eight tickets in the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections. OBC leader Alpesh Thakor has already joined the Congress and is expected to contest elections on the party's ticket this year.

Patidar leader Hardik Patel on Monday held a press conference and announced that the PAAS had reviewed the alternative proposal from Sibal and they found the Congress proposal "acceptable".

Speaking to the reporters, 24-year-old Patel said, "After the PAAS Core Committee meeting, I want to announce that the proposal on Patidar reservation given by Kapil Sibal and the Congress party is correct and is acceptable to us. We will discuss it with other social outfits in Gujarat. Our aim is that Patidars should get reservations under the guidelines laid down by the Constitution and different Commissions in the country. If one follows the Congress’s formula for reservations, this will give benefits to other communities along with the Patidars. The Congress is also likely to add this to their election manifesto for the Gujarat Assembly polls."