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Saturday, February 21, 2026
TopicPatidar

Topic: Patidar

Patidar vs Patidar, Kshatriyas vs BJP’s Rupala — why Rajkot is one of Gujarat’s most-watched battles

Union Minister Parshottam Rupala is fighting against Congress's Paresh Dhanani in Patidar-dominated Rajkot. The two leaders are facing off after over 21 years.

48 candidates, 41 wins: How Patidars played decisive role in BJP’s record-breaking Gujarat victory

In community's stronghold Saurashtra, BJP won 39 of total 48 seats, up from 19 in 2017. Quota in jobs & education as well as special loan helped party, says a BJP leader.

‘Will become a dictator, another Dyer’ — What BJP entrant Hardik Patel once said about Modi, Shah

The Patidar leader quit the Congress on 18 May, slamming the party for playing obstructionist politics, & joined the BJP Thursday.

Off to BJP now? What Hardik Patel’s Congress resignation means for poll-bound Gujarat

Hardik Patel leapt into spotlight with 2015 Patidar agitation. As Gujarat Congress working president, he was expected to play key role in steering party campaign during upcoming polls.

Gujarat’s Patidar voters not excited by BJP CM Bhupendra Patel, survey finds

Prashnam finds that BJP strategy could pay off in the longer run, though, since Patidars prefer an unknown community leader over a known non-Patidar such as Vijay Rupani.

Who are Patels and how they have become a driving force behind govts in Gujarat

The Patels are once again the talk of Gujarat after Bhupendra Patel, a first-time MLA, was unexpectedly chosen as the state chief minister. 

How not to ‘Kumbh’ amid Covid spike — this Gujarat town shows the way during Navratri

The town of Unjha is on a mission to break the Covid transmission chain. To that end, it has voluntarily closed an important temple & its spice market, the biggest in Asia.

Saurashtra punches BJP in the jaw on its big day in Gujarat

The Patidar agitation and farmers’ discontent seem to have had an effect, handing the advantage to the Congress in this former BJP stronghold

In Modi we trust, says Gujarat BJP facing unexpected opposition

Local issues and anti-incumbency have made the BJP nervous, but it also has faith that Modi’s magic will shine through in the end.

Mehsana, epicentre of Patidar protests, expected to be big challenge for BJP

BJP’s vulnerability in the district stems from the presence of a large number of influential Kadva Patel voters, who support Hardik Patel’s quota demand.

On Camera

Youth Congress, your foolish protest helped the Modi govt climb out of the AI summit hole

In tactical terms, the shirtless protest was worse than a self-goal. Suddenly, the fiascos of the AI Summit were forgotten, and the Youth Congress’s disruption became the issue.

In the West, there’s anxiety. In India, optimism—Rishi Sunak says India poised to be leader in AI

On Wednesday, the former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was speaking in New Delhi at a Carnegie & Observer Research Foundation event on AI.

MoD, IAF agree on some exemptions to HAL for Tejas Mk1A, but no compromise on ‘must-have’ capabilities

IAF is fine with accepting the aircraft with 'must-haves', even if some other steps remain pending, which may take at least another year, it is learnt.

No country is ever fully sovereign. Cold War era taught India its real meaning

India’s fraught neighbourhood places multiple constraints on its strategic choices. It leaves no time to take a deep breath, lean back and reset.