Ahead of Gujarat Polls, Hardik Patel Quits Congress

New Delhi, 18 May 2022 [Fik/News Sources]: In a huge blow to the Congress, its Gujarat working president and het Gujarat Patidar leader Hardik Patel has announced his resignation from the post and primary membership of the party embarrassing the party just after its revival strategy meet. The party has however said it has not yet received his resignation letter.

The elections in Gujarat are due in a few months.

“I am gathering the courage to resign from the Congress party and post. I am sure my decision will be welcomed by my colleagues and the people of Gujarat. I believe that with this step, I will be able to work positively for Gujarat in future,” Hardik Patel wrote in a Twitter post sharing his resignation letter.

In his resignation letter Hardik Patel targetted Rahul Gandhi, who had brought him into the party in 2019 days after Rahul Gandhi’s Gujarat visit, when a meeting between the two did not materialise.

“Senior leaders in Gujarat are more interested in ensuring that visiting leaders get their chicken sandwiches than engaging with people during yatras,” Hardik said in his letter.

Hardik Patel has alleged that the Congress has no interest in Gujarat. The party’s politics are restricted to merely opposing everything the government does, never becoming an option to the ruling party that people are looking for, he wrote in a long resignation letter in Hindi.

“Our leader was abroad when he was needed in India during critical times,” Hardik Patel went on, echoing criticism heaped on Rahul Gandhi by critics including the ruling BJP.

He has further alleged that even after several efforts, the party failed to act in national interest and for the society. The Congress was obstacle on issues like article 370, CAA-NRC and implementation of the GST. These were people’s aspirations and the need of the hour for which the Congress should have played a positive role, but it did not, Patel said.

The speculations are wild that he may join the BJP.

Hardik’s former colleague at PAAS (Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti) and BJP worker Chirag Patel, in his first reaction has said that lakhs of BJP workers are unhappy and disappointed with Hardik, and they would be unhappy if he joins the BJP. At the same time he added that all of them are committed BJP workers and will respect party’s decision, if Hardik joins BJP.

— With agency inputs