Rajkot, June 16 Leuva Patel leader and Khodaldham trust managing trustee Naresh Patel has announced that he will not join politics, at least for now.
"I am not joining politics now, I can't say about the future, only time will decide," he said.
Since last five to six months, speculations about Naresh Patel's political venture were doing the rounds after he expressed his desire to join politics. All three leading parties Congress, BJP and the AAP were trying to woo him. Patel, however, keeping his cards close to his chest, used an excuse that only after consulting community members and survey result, will he announce whether he is joining politics or not.
Though he claimed in the press conference that majority of the respondents in the survey were in favour of him joining politics, but, senior leaders from the community advised him to focus on the community work that he has taken up and complete the projects before the Khodaldham trust.
While talking about creating a girl's hostel and other facilities, he has also announced that the trust will start a political leadership training institute.
There were rumours that the ruling party is putting pressure on him not to join politics, especially if he has planned to join Congress or AAP. Patel refuted such rumours and said that there was no political pressure on him, he just decided to "step back for a while".
Respecting Naresh Patel's decision, Gujarat Congress president Jagdish Thakor said, "it is his decision not to join politics. Congress party respects it. The party had offered him to join the mainstream politics, he had to take decision whether to join active politics or not, which he has taken today."
Politically, Naresh Patel has indirectly helped the Congress, observes political analyst Vasudev Patel. His earlier announcement to join politics compelled ruling party to go for early elections. Now, his not joining politics will be a big relief for the ruling party, but how he plays his cards from behind the scene remains to be seen.
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