It is after several years that the Congress has decided to go all out to attract a community which accounts for around 18 per cent of the state population and has been a traditional vote bank of the BJP.
The Congress is sensing an opportunity to attract the Patels after the community's leader Keshubhai Patel came out in open recently against the Modi government and said that his community was living under fear in Gujarat.
The Patels, who used to be with the Congress earlier, deserted the party after former Congress Chief Minister Madhavsinh Solanki devised and implemented KHAM (Kshatirya, Harijan, Adivasi [tribals) and Muslims) formula for Congress.
In the last 17 odd years of BJP rule in the state, Patels have proved to be the backbone for the party. But after the removal of Keshubhai Patel from the post of chief minister in 2001 and Modi's rise, and subsequent sidelining of other powerful Patel leaders loyal to Keshubhai, the community felt neglected.
"Patels have been neglected under this rule," said former deputy chief minister and Congress leader Narhari Amin, who is from the Patel community.
"At least 70,000 Patels from all over North Gujarat have accepted to come to the meet for the Friday event," Amin further said, adding that top community leaders like Union Minister Dinsha Patel and former Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee president Siddarth Patel will also participate in the meet.