Gandhinagar | Jagran Politics Desk: Senior Patidar leader Hardik Patel, who resigned from Congress recently amid differences with the state party leadership, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday.
“With the feelings of national, state, public and social interests, I am going to start a new chapter in my life today. Now I will work as a small soldier under the successful leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he had tweeted in Hindi earlier in the day.
Ever since Hardik resigned from Congress, speculations were being made that he may soon join the saffron party ahead of the key assembly elections in Gujarat. Earlier, it was speculated that Hardik will join the BJP on May 30, but he later confirmed that his “new journey” will begin from June 2.
Hardik’s decision to join the BJP will give a massive boost to the party ahead of the Gujarat polls. It will help the party strengthen its Patidar base further in the state. However, some in BJP are reportedly not happy with the entry of Hardik, who was once a fierce critic of PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
“We do not have any objection to Congress leaders joining the BJP, but Hardik Patel has damaged our party. From the ground-level workers to top leaders, the majority do not want him to be in the BJP,” The Times of India quoted a senior BJP functionary as saying.
Meanwhile, Congress has attacked Hardik over his decision to join the BJP, saying his unrestrained statements after quitting the party show his character.
“The Congress made Patel a star campaigner during the recently-held Assembly polls in five states, where he was seen criticising Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and the BJP. Now he has suddenly started cursing Rahul Gandhi. This shows his true nature,” Gujarat Congress in-charge minister Raghu Sharma was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.
“It is a path of dedication. He (Patel) is making unrestrained statements against me and our leader Rahul Gandhi after leaving the party. This reflects his character,” he said on Wednesday.
