Gujarat Congress working president Hardik Patel.
Highlights
- Hardik Patel has recently changed his WhatsApp profile picture wearing a saffron scarf
- Few days ago, he removed Congress' symbol from his profile photo
- As Gujarat elections are due later this year, speculations are rising he may join BJP
The speculations of Hardik Patel joining the BJP are getting intense after the patidar leader puts up a WhatsApp profile picture wearing a saffron scarf. A couple of days ago, he removed Congress' symbol from the profile photo.
The political chatter-batter around Hardik Patel is getting aloud after he a few days ago expressed displeasure over the Gujarat Congress' "style of functioning" when he claimed that he was sidelined in the state unit and the leadership is not willing to utilise his skills.
Interestingly, Hardik, who is the state Congress working president, expressed his grouse a day after he hinted at contesting elections after the Supreme Court stayed his conviction in a 2015 rioting and arson case.
Hardik had spearheaded the Patidar community campaign in Gujarat in 2015 seeking reservations under the OBC category.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Hardik questioned the Congress leadership over the "delay" in inducting popular Patidar leader Naresh Patel into the party fold.
"The kind of talks which are doing rounds regarding the induction of Naresh Patel in Congress is insulting for the entire community. It's been over two months now. Why has no decision been taken yet? Congress high command or local leadership should take a quick decision about Naresh Patel's induction," he said.
Hardik claimed that the Patidar quota agitation helped Congress win a significant number of seats in the elections to local bodies in 2015 and the 2017 Assembly polls when the opposition party had won 77 constituents in the 182-member House.
"But what happened after that? Many in Congress also feel that Hardik was not properly utilised by the party after 2017. It may be because some people in the party would think that I would come in their way after 5 or 10 years if I am given significance today," claimed Patel, who became working president of Gujarat in 2020.
Assembly elections in Gujarat are due in December this year.
Meanwhile, days after Gujarat Congress' working president Hardik Patel expressed displeasure with the party leadership, the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) state unit invited him to join it.
“Hardik Patel has come up as a leader on his own. He has expressed displeasure with the Congress leadership. We require leaders like Hardik in AAP Gujarat,” the AAP's state unit leader Gopal Italia told reporters.
Hardik should not waste his time putting his case before the Congress leadership as it would not yield any results, he added.
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