Former Congress leader Hardik Patel to join BJP on June 2

Soon after leaving the party, Patel slammed the Congress party for making disrespectful remarks against "Hindus and Lord Ram". 

Digital Desk: Ahead of the Gujarat Assembly election later this year, Patidar leader Hardik Patel has declared that he will join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on June 2. Notably,  Patel recently resigned from the Congress party. 

Soon after leaving the party, Patel slammed the Congress party for making disrespectful remarks against "Hindus and Lord Ram". 

In 2020, the Patidar leader was appointed to one of the Gujarat Congress working presidents after joining the party in 2019.

On May 19, Patel quits the congress party, claiming that Gujarat Congress leaders were more concerned with ensuring that the politicians who came from Delhi to Gujarat got their "chicken sandwich" on time than it was with addressing real issues in Gujarat.

Patel's main complaint was that despite being the functioning president of the state unit, he was never handed any significant duties. In July 2020, he was appointed to the position. 

"It is undeniable that the Patidar quota agitation helped Congress tremendously in the 2017 Assembly elections (led by him). Despite being made working president, I was not given any responsibilities. I wasn't even invited to the party's most important meetings. It has never scheduled a press conference for me during the last three years," he stated.

The BJP retained power in 2017, although its seat total fell to 99 from 115 in 2012, while the Congress got 77 seats, an increase of 16 seats in the 182-member House.