AHMEDABAD: Former Congress leader Hardik Patel will join the BJP on June 2 in the presence of Gujarat party president C R Paatil, a state party spokesperson said on Tuesday.
After Patidar quota agitation leader Patel recently resigned from the Congress, there were speculations that he may join the ruling BJP.
He had praised the BJP's decision-making capacity and style of functioning, while severely criticising the Congress leadership.
"It is confirmed that Hardik Patel will join the BJP on June 2 in the presence of state president C R Paatil," BJP's state spokesperson Yagnesh Dave told PTI.
Patel had joined the Congress in 2019.
Before quitting the Congress earlier this month, Patel wrote a scathing letter to party chief Sonia Gandhi, claiming the Congress "only played the role of a roadblock" over certain key issues in the country and was "merely reduced to opposing everything".
Earlier, Patel branded the Congress party as “highly communal, anti-Hindu, anti-Gujarati” — in clear hints to his next destination, the BJP.
Hardik said he felt sorry for asking the people in Gujarat to vote for Congress.
Addressing media persons in Ahmedabad, Hardik said he had dreamed of doing big things when he joined the Congress.
“Congress benefitted from us in the elections. While working in the party from 2019 to 2022, I came to know that Congress is only doing caste politics. Congress used Patidars in 2015 and 2017 and wants to use Patidars in 2022 too. I apologise to the people of Gujarat for seeking votes for such a party in 2017. I am sorry I wasted my three years. I have resigned from the Congress party with great pride,” he said.
Accusing the Congress of doing injustice to Patidar leaders, Hardik claimed several MLAs in Gujarat had been used by the Congress and thrown away when the party’s needs were met.
Chiman Bhai was thrown out by Congress in the same way Vitthal Radadia and Narhari Amin were removed.
On the other hand, Hardik showered praises on BJP.
"The BJP government gave 10 per cent reservation which directly benefited the Patidars. We were agitating but the government gave 10 per cent reservation to the economically weaker sections with an open heart. In BJP, every community is given the same priority,” he said.
Attacking Rahul Gandhi again, Hardik said: “Whenever Rahul Gandhi comes to Gujarat, people in Delhi advise him to not work hard in Gujarat because there would be no result. The only concern of Congress leaders was from where they can arrange Rahul Gandhi’s chicken sandwich and diet coke.”
Gujarat Congress president Jagdish Thakor said Hardik’s allegations were baseless and designed to hurt the party.
(With ENS Inputs)