Days after Congress leader Hardik Patel praised the BJP and its “decisive leadership”, there is a growing buzz that he could quit the party ahead of the Assembly election in Gujarat.
The 28-year-old working president of Gujarat Congress is apparently upset with the party leadership for “ignoring him and not assigning him any important work portfolio in the party”. Recently, he slammed the party leadership, including former president Rahul Gandhi, while accusing the State congress leaders of conspiring to scuttle his political career.
He also praised the BJP leadership and its decisive attitude while calling himself a “proud Hindu”.
Mr. Patel, who rose to fame in 2015 when he spearheaded a powerful Patidar agitation for quotas in jobs and education, has, however, said he would not quit the Congress.
According to party insiders, Mr. Gandhi is in touch with the party high command which is trying to bring a truce between Mr. Patel and other local leaders. On Saturday, Gujarat Congress in-charge Raghu Sharma did admit that Mr. Patel was not happy with the local leaders, but he stressed that all differences would be ironed out.
According to party leaders, Mr. Patel is not getting along with State party chief Jagdish Thakor.
Meanwhile, a section of BJP leaders contended that Mr. Patel should not be inducted into the party. Former parliamentarian and Gujarat Minister Dilip Sanghani on Friday said that people like him “should never be allowed to join the party.”
