Will work as small soldier under PM Modi's leadership, says Hardik Patel ahead of joining BJP

Hardik Patel, a former Congress politician, is expected to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday. Patel tweeted ahead of his formal induction into the party that he is "going to start a new chapter from today" and that he "shall work as a tiny soldier under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership."

In a tweet in Hindi, Patel, Gujarat's Patidar quota warrior, said: "With the feelings of national interest, state interest, public interest and social interest, I am going to start a new chapter from today."

"I will work as a small soldier under the leadership of the successful Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he added.

Hardik rose to prominence in politics in 2015, when he led the Patidar reservation agitation in Gujarat, developing a campaign in the run-up to the state Assembly elections in 2017. 

Patel initially sought OBC recognition for the Patidar group. 

Following that, it became a demand for reservations for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS). 

During the Patidar quota agitation, the Anandiben Patel-led Gujarat government continued to slap cases on Hardik, accusing him of fomenting trouble. 

Anandiben Patel, the state's then-chief minister, was caught off guard by his arrival on the political scene. 

Anandiben Patel announced her retirement from the position in 2016. Patel joined the Congress Party in the presence of Rahul Gandhi ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

In the year 2020, he was appointed as the working president of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee. He eventually left the party in 2022 after accusing Congress leadership of ignoring him when making critical choices. 

Patel resigned from the party on May 19 this year, claiming that Gujarat Congress leaders were more concerned with ensuring that the leaders who came from Delhi to Gujarat got "chicken sandwich" on schedule than with addressing real issues in the state. He further said that Gujarat Congress leaders "sitting in the AC chambers" tried to sabotage his political efforts.

Meanwhile, Gujarat Congress head Jagdish Thakor has alleged that Patel decided to leave the party because he was frightened of facing jail time for sedition charges. The entrance of Hardik into the BJP is crucial because the Assembly elections are scheduled for this year.
 

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