Naresh Patel interview: ‘If someone like me joins any party, not just the Cong, wouldn’t they be the CM face?’ | Political Pulse News,The Indian Express

Naresh Patel declared Thursday that he was not joining politics “for now”, adding that Khodaldham will instead set up an academy to train youths for politics.

The Patidar leader and industrialist, Naresh Patel, the chairman of the Shree Khodaldham Trust (SKT), the leading organisation of Leuva Patels in Gujarat, declared Thursday that he was not joining politics “for now”, adding that Khodaldham will instead set up an academy to train youths for politics. In an interview with The Indian Express, he shares his thoughts on a range of social and political issues. Excerpts:

What, in your view, is the secret of this sudden interest in Naresh Patel within and outside Gujarat?

Probably because of the way I have led Khodaldham, the way I have led Patidars – bringing them together and then, of course, getting into lot of social work which doesn’t remain limited to Patidars but transcends castes and creeds. Secondly, anything Khodaldham does, it is important to note, is very meticulous. From day one, I have been telling my teams to draw a roadmap for anything they do and then implement it in the right way. So, that’s one of the reasons Khodaldham has achieved success in its social work journey and we have been able to reach out to people. That is one of the reasons that if I get into politics, I could make some change and probably bring a new system. That’s why people look up to me, and even the media.

Did you anticipate in December last year, when you said you intended to join politics, that your announcement will attract national attention?

Very frankly speaking, no. I thought it would remain limited to Gujarat or only to Saurashtra or in parts of Gujarat where Patidars live. But during my last trips to south and north Gujarat, I gathered that everybody knows it…That’s the question for everybody, not only Patidars. The media has given me such a hype!

https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/naresh-patel-interview-7975999/

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