Upset With Gujarat Party Leadership, Hardik Patel Quits Congress, May Join BJP

Hardik Patel, who joined the Congress before 2019 Lok Sabha elections, has quit the party and vowed to work positively for Gujarat in future.

Gandhinagar:  In a huge blow to the Congress, ahead of forthcoming Gujarat Assembly elections, Patidar leader Hardik Patel has quit the grand old party. “Today I courageously resign from the post of Congress and primary membership of the party. I am sure that my decision will be welcomed by all my colleagues and the people of Gujarat. I believe that after this step of mine, I will be able to work really positively for Gujarat in future”, Patel wrote on Twitter. He also shared a snapshot of his resignation letter marked to the party’s interim president Sonia Gandhi. ‘ Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had reached out to the disgruntled leader to sort out differences. If party sources are to be believed, Gandhi himself had sent a message to Hardik asking him to continue in the party.

Hardik Patel Quits Congress, Shares His Resignation Letter on Twitter

आज मैं हिम्मत करके कांग्रेस पार्टी के पद और पार्टी की प्राथमिक सदस्यता से इस्तीफा देता हूँ। मुझे विश्वास है कि मेरे इस निर्णय का स्वागत मेरा हर साथी और गुजरात की जनता करेगी। मैं मानता हूं कि मेरे इस कदम के बाद मैं भविष्य में गुजरात के लिए सच में सकारात्मक रूप से कार्य कर पाऊँगा। pic.twitter.com/MG32gjrMiY

— Hardik Patel (@HardikPatel_) May 18, 2022

The Patidar activist who joined the Congress in 2019, just before the Lok Sabha election, has been publicly voicing his grievances with the party and its high command over being sidelined ahead of the crucial Vidhan Sabha polls, scheduled to be held later this year.

He had claimed that despite being a working president of the party’s state unit, no work was given to him. The activist-turned-politician had also drew a parallel between his situation and a “groom forced into nasbandi (vasectomy)”.

“I am not called to attend important meetings or not made part of any decision-making process. My position in the party is that of a new groom who has been made to undergo nasbandi (vasectomy),” he said.

Will Hardik Patel Join BJP? 

Though nothing has been confirmed, speculations are rife that the patidar leader may join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In the past, Hardik had lauded the Narendra Modi-led BJP government for revoking article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir and the construction of Ram Mandir.

‘Good Luck and Goodbye Congress’

For the unversed, Hardik’s resignation comes a day after former former chief of Punjab Congress Committee Sunil Jakhar quit Congress in a Facebook live video. Jakhar had concluded his address by wishing Congress good luck and goodbye.

“This is my parting gift, my last words spoken to the Congress men. I have highlighted things which need a chinta not chintan shivir. Good luck and goodbye Congress,” Jakhar had said on second day of Congress’ Chintan Shivir organised Rajasthan’s Udaipur.