Author Arundhati Roy (left) and Jignesh Mevani (Right)Controversial left-wing activist and author Arundhati Roy has contributed Rs 3 lakh to Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani’s campaign for the upcoming elections in Gujarat, News18 has reported. Mevani is contesting the Assembly polls as an independent candidate from the reserved Vadgam constituency in North Gujarat.
Apart from the backing of the Communist parties and left-leaning activists, Mevani has also received support from the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
According to Mint, Congress’ sitting MLA Manibhai Vaghela has said that the party has asked him not contest election from the seat “as a part of an agreement” with Mevani.
“The party has asked me not to contest from the Vadgam seat this time. Though Mevani will contest the poll as an independent, he will have the Congress support. Thus, there won’t be any Congress candidate on this seat,” Vaghela told PTI.
AAP has also announced support for Mevani. “The AAP has decided not to field any candidate from Vadgam from where Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani is contesting as an independent candidate. Looking at the appeal made by him, the party believes that the contest should be between the BJP and Mevani,” the party has said.
To arrange fund for his election campaign, Mevani launched a crowdfunding campaign on the website CrowdNewsing around 10 days ago. He has so far raised Rs 9,00,000 as part of the campaign.
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