They are all conspiring to force me to leave the party, says the face of the 2015 Patidar agitation
They are all conspiring to force me to leave the party, says the face of the 2015 Patidar agitation
Hardik Patel, working president of Gujarat Congress and the face of the Patidar movement in 2015, feels “harassed and sidelined” by party leaders ahead of the crucial assembly elections.
He accused local leaders of trying to establish his base in the state under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Home Minister on the day Indranil Rajyaguru, a former Rajkot MLA, resigned from the party and joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Was doing. Amit Shah.
On Thursday, Mr Rajyaguru and his aide, Vasram Sagthia, a former Rajkot municipal councilor, joined the AAP, a day after meeting Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi.
Shri Rajyaguru was an MLA from Rajkot from 2012 to 2017 and had contested the last assembly election in 2017 against the then Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
Mr Patel accused the local leadership of foiling their efforts to revive the party.
“They are all conspiring to force me to leave the party,” he said without naming anyone.
He also criticized the party for its indecent approach towards including Naresh Patel, a leader of the powerful Patidar community from Saurashtra.
“Why no decision on Nareshbhai,” he asked, adding that he would provide a major boost to Aadhaar in the politically crucial region, which elects 52 MLAs to the House of 182 members.
According to him, the Congress had benefited from the Patidar quota agitation in the 2017 elections, but now the leaders are fighting among themselves instead of fighting the BJP and grabbing power from it.
“What I am telling you is true. I am trying my best to strengthen the party in Gujarat.
He claimed that he brought the issue to the notice of former party president Rahul Gandhi several times but he did not take any action against any leader of the state unit.
“I welcome Indranil Rajguruji and Vasrambhai Sagathiaji to the Aam Aadmi Party. Together we will fulfill every expectation of the people of Gujarat,” Mr Kejriwal said in a tweet.
AAP also claimed that a large number of Congress leaders have joined the party and termed it as a “big setback” for the Congress.
(With inputs from our Delhi correspondent)