New Delhi, Oct 22 (UNI) In a development that could go a long way in helping Congress in the poll-bound Gujarat, prominent OBC leader Alpesh Thakore is all set to join the grand old party. Sources close to Mr Thakore, who is heading a non-political platform 'OBC-SC-ST Ekta Manch', indicated that he would formally join the Congress on October 23 at a rally in Ahmedabad. On Saturday evening, Mr Thakore, whose father is a key Congress leader in Gujarat, met Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi in the presence of senior party leaders Ashok Gehlot and Bharatsinh Solanki. "The strategies have been fine tuned. All important social organisations and leaders like Alpesh Thakore, Hardik Patel and Jignesh Mevani would now back Congress in order to defeat the BJP," the source said. The ensuing elections in Gujarat, once considered the pocket borough for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, has turned exciting this year in the wake of Congress trying to put up a determined fight to wrest power in the state -- along with the support of three caste-based leaders Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakore and Jignesh Mevani. The Congress was last time in power in the western state - way back in 1995. UNI DEVN APS 0630