Jignesh Mevani is one of the prominent leaders of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee. He is an MLA from the Vadgam Assembly constituency in Gujarat. He was first elected from the Vadgam seat in the 2017 Assembly elections. He is also a Dalit leader and convenor of the Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch, a non-governmental organisation founded by him in July 2016 for the rights of dalits in Gujarat.

He rose to national importance after he led a protest march called ‘Dalit Asmita Yara’ in protest against the Una flogging incident in 2016. In an interview with Santu Das of The Statesman, Mevani talks about the AICC Session held in Ahmedabad and also emphasized on organisational rebuilding of the party for the 2027 Assembly elections. He accused some of the Congress leaders of “hobnobbing” with BJP and categorically said they should be thrown out from the party. He also said the BJP government has ‘failed’ to fulfill the aspirations of the people of the state.

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Q: The Congress held the AICC session in Ahmedabad. Assembly elections in the Gujarat are scheduled to be held at the end of 2027. The Congress has been out of power in Gujarat since 1995. What would you like to say?

A: The gesture of AICC to organise its session in Gujarat itself is a very energising message to the party cadres throughout the state. I am myself charged up and feel a lot of positivity all around. Around 2,000 leaders from across the country were present in Gujarat. Obviously the party workers got a lot of energy. This was a welcome move. As Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had a few months back stated that the Congress will defeat the BJP in Gujarat, it is good that the AICC session was held in Ahmedabad.

Q: Rahul Gandhi had called for a structural overhaul in the Gujarat Congress. He had asserted that a faction within the party is “conniving with the BJP from within”. What is your take on that?

A: Yes, there are people within the party who are “compromised” and they need to be thrown out of the party. It is unfortunate that the party bore the burden of such people who kept hobnobbing with the BJP for years. So, hopefully they will be removed from the party.

Q: What actions are being initiated against such leaders by the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee after Rahul Gandhi’s remarks?

A: No action has been taken so far. I think that action will come from Rahul Gandhi or the AICC. It will come from the highest level. It may not happen from the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee.

Q: What is the Gujarat Congress doing for strengthening the party at the grassroots level?

A: There will be few changes in the organisation. Congress party wants to strengthen its cadra base particularly at the district and taluka level. The clear message is that the people who are hobnobbing with BJP will be removed. The Gujarat Congress will see new young faces who will focus on strengthening the party.

Q: What is the Congress roadmap for Gujarat?

A: We have to fight in the streets for the people’s rights by raising their issues.

Q: How many seats is the Congress eyeing in the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls?

A: Under Mission 2027, the party organisation will be further strengthened and every possible effort will be made to win the trust of the people of Gujarat. In the coming days, Gujarat Congress will come out on the streets and raise issues concerning the people of the state.

Q: Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are part of the INDIA bloc. Will Congress and AAP contest the Assembly elections together?

A: I cannot say anything at the moment. It depends on the situation.

Q: What would you like to say on the work of the BJP government led by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel?

A: The BJP government has failed to fulfill the dreams and aspirations of the people of Gujarat. There are many issues including unemployment. There is large scale unemployment in the state. The current BJP government has reached a saturation point.Therefore, we will give a blueprint for the development of Gujarat because it deserves better.

The state can do much better than the current situation. In Gujarat, the BJP government does not have any budget for the SC, ST, OBC and minority. We don’t need such a “vikas (development) model.” We are committed to fight against inequality that is prevailing in the state. It is our resolve that India should be built based on the values that Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel stood for. All those who are the victims of injustice should get justice. Congress is working to create a path of justice. We will move forward with this determination.