Patidar leader Hardik Patel quits Congress fearing jail in sedition cases, claims Gujarat party chief Jagdish Thakor

Rajkot (Gujarat): Days after Patidar leader Hardik Patel quit Congress, Gujarat party chief Jagdish Thakor said that the latter took the step as he was afraid that he might have to go to jail in sedition cases registered against him. Thakor told ANI, "The party has given him everything. The party had made him a "star campaigner" in the recently-held Assembly polls to five states and had given him a helicopter as well. Party has given a very high post and yet he said that the party has not given anything then I think it`s not true."

Gujarat Congress chief alleged that whatever Hardik Patel, who quit Congress saying that he resigned from the grand old party after he felt that he was being "ignored", spoke during the press conference and what was written in his resignation letter was scripted by the ruling BJP.

Thakor further claimed, "Now Patel will be speaking only what BJP will ask him to speak. Even the language of his letter was not his own but was drafted at the BJP office," he said."Hardik feared that he may have to go to jail in sedition cases if he stays in Congress. Hence, to save himself from the possible punishment, he decided to quit Congress and he might join the BJP as well." 

He said the party will not suffer because of Hardik`s resignation, and added, "Earlier also many people left the party but it remained the same. Now also, there will be no harm to the party. We will do more rallies in Surat, Bartoli, and Saurashtra with Rahul Gandhi. All allegations made by Hardik are false including against Rahul Gandhi and there is no truth in it."

Talking about the future of Hardik, the Congress leader said he will be released from jail and will enjoy his life. 

Notably, Hardik Patel was elevated as one of the Gujarat Congress working presidents in 2020. On Wednesday, the Patidar leader resigned from the party and stated that Gujarat Congress leaders were least bothered to address real issues but were more focussed on ensuring that the leaders who come from Delhi to Gujarat get "chicken sandwich" on time.

Hardik hails saffron party over Ayodhya issue, Article 370 

Hardik Patel on Thursday said that he "wasted" three years of his life in the party which indulged in "caste politics", and maintained that he has not taken a decision yet on joining any other political outfit, be it the ruling BJP in Gujarat or the new entrant AAP.

Addressing a press conference, Patel (28) hailed the BJP for its efforts in the Ayodhya case and also appreciated it for abrogating Article 370, while also accusing the leaders of the "visionless" Congress of being biased against the Gujarati people.

Asked if he would join the BJP or AAP, Patel said, "I have not taken any decision as of now on joining any political party, be it the BJP or AAP. Whatever decision I take, it will be in the interest of the people." 

"It is a fact that Congress benefited immensely in the 2017 Assembly polls due to the Patidar quota agitation (led by him). However, I was not given any responsibility even after making me working president. I was not even invited to the key meetings of the party...," Hardik said, adding "Some 7-8 leaders have been running the show for the last 25 years in Gujarat. Second cadre leaders are not given any importance."

He said, "Party just believes in the theory of use and throw. During the last 7 years, nearly 122 Congress leaders had left the party, including 30 MLAs and nearly 40 former MLAs," and alleged that the party never speaks anything on the issues concerning Hindus, such as the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) or on the issue of a 'Shivling' (said to be) found in a mosque in Varanasi.

Hardik said, "Ruling BJP's efforts in the Ayodhya case were worth appreciating. I had welcomed the Supreme Court's verdict and my family even donated Rs 21,000 for the construction of Ram Mandir. BJP also did a good job by scrapping Article 370. I will not hesitate to appreciate what is worth appreciating." he said.

The Gujarat Congress is too much into "caste-based politics", he claimed and added that poll tickets, as well as party posts, are given solely on that criteria. "I regret that I wasted my three years in this party," Patel said and cited the examples of Patidar leaders Vitthal Radadiya and Narhari Amin, who had quit Congress and later joined the BJP in the past.

Referring to the Congress's Chintan Shivir held recently in Rajasthan, he said the party needs to do 'chinta' (worry) instead of 'chintan' (brainstorming) as it lacks any vision as well as formula to win the elections.

(With Agency Inputs)