Congress workers turn against Jignesh Mevani in Patan, party office locked amid protest

Trouble has surfaced within the Congress in Patan as party workers have come out openly against Congress leader and Vadgam MLA Jignesh Mevani. 

Congress workers raised slogans against Mevani and locked the party’s district office in protest, triggering a major internal rift within the party.

According to available details, Jayaben Shah of Siddhpur was recently appointed the Patan district president of the Scheduled Caste Morcha. This appointment sparked internal unrest in the Patan district Congress. 

Former SC Morcha district president Hasmukh Saxena had made repeated representations to the state level, seeking reappointment. However, the Congress high command announced Jayaben as the district president, leading to resentment among Saxena and his supporters.

Protesting Congress workers alleged that Shah’s appointment was made at the behest of Mevani. 

Angry workers raised slogans against Mevani and openly vented their resentment. They claimed that prior representations were made to Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda, SC Morcha state president Hitendra Pithadiya and local MLAs, but were ignored. As a result, workers intensified their protest and directly targeted Mevani.

‘Mevani wants to take control of Patan’

Saxena alleged that Mevani and Pithadiya are attempting to establish control over Patan district and dominate the Scheduled Caste organisation across Gujarat. He asserted that they would not allow such efforts to succeed.

Statement after protest against Patan MLAs

Patan MLA Kirit Patel also extended support to the protest, stating that even elected MLAs were not consulted before the appointment.

He warned that if such a situation continues and leaders fail to correct course, Congress could face a complete wipeout in the 2027 Assembly elections. 

Responding to the controversy, Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda said that a dispute has arisen over appointments in the SC department. Terming it an “internal matter”, he assured that both groups would be brought together and the issue resolved through dialogue.

District Congress office locked

During the protest organised by SC workers, no senior Congress leaders were present, prompting the protestors to lock the district Congress office.

The workers also warned that if no appropriate decision is taken regarding the appointment of the Patan district SC Morcha president, more than 2,000 Congress workers would resign in the coming days.