Congress vice-president is scheduled to visit Gandhinagar today where OBC leader Alpesh Thakor is likely to join the party. The Congress has also invited Patidar agitation leader Hardik Patel and Dalit leader and activist Jignesh Mevani to meet Rahul Gandhi ahead of the crucial Gujarat Assembly election.

During the visit, Rahul Gandhi will participate in the 'Navsarjan Gujarat Janadesh' rally. The Congress vice-president's Gandhinagar visit comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally in Vadodara and hit out at the Opposition for questioning Election Commission over not announcing poll dates for Gujarat Assembly election.

Rahul Gandhi's visit comes on a day when Patidar leader Nikhil Sawani quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and alleged that the government has not done anything to ensure quota for Patels in Gujarat. The Patidar leader said he will seek an appointment with the Congress vice-president.

A day before, Narendra Patel, a local convener of Hardik Patel's Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) in a late-night conference alleged that he was offered Rs 1 crore to join the BJP. Patel quit the party just hours after he 'joined' it.

RAHUL's MEETINGS TODAY

"Rahul-ji will hold a meeting with them (Hardik Patel and other Patidar leaders) before the rally and discuss all the issues and will invite them to support the Congress," Solanki said on Sunday and added that the party has "separately invited Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani and others after the rally".

During the one-day visit, Rahul Gandhi is likely to meet rebel Janata Dal (United) leader Chhotu Vasava. OBC leader Alpesh Thakor recently met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi and announced that he is set to join the Congress.

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Rahul Gandhi in Gujarat LIVE: OBC leader Alpesh Thakor set to join Congress

Ahead of the Assembly election in Gujarat, the Congress vice-president is set to address a rally in Gandhinagar today.