Gujarat elections: Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani to fight as independent candidate from Vadgam Constituency

The firebrand Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani who had said that he will neither join Congress nor contest the election will be fighting Gujarat assembly polls as an independent candidate.

Mevani will contest as an Independent candidate from Vadgam constituency in Banaskantha District.

The BJP has fielded Vijaybhai Harkabhai Chakravati, while the Congress has nominated Manibhai Vaghela to the reserved seat.

A fortnight ago, stopping short of asking people to vote for Congress, Mevani had said that his gut feeling was that people would not commit the mistake of voting for any third party in the bipolar election in Gujarat, where they have decided to replace the BJP that has been ruling the state for 22 years.

The 34-year-old, a lawyer by training, came under the spotlight after four Dalit youth were stripped and flogged by cow vigilantes for skinning a dead bovine last year. Mevani had managed to galvanise the Dalit youth to lead huge protests across the state.

In the past year, Mevani has emerged as someone whom political parties cannot afford to ignore, particularly ahead of the assembly elections.

The State goes to polls next month in two phases —December 9 and 14.