Hardik Patel hints at joining BJP next week, contesting elections

Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener and former Congress working president Hardik Patel will be joining BJP either on May 30 or May 31 in Gandhinagar. He gave the hint on Friday in Ahmedabad and even hinted at contesting elections.

Patel in a programme on a TV channel has hinted that he is joining the BJP, and the party will decide from which constituency he will contest the assembly elections. He also said that he is going to lead an Ekta Yatra from Somnath temple to the Statue of Unity.

It will be a grand show of Hardik Patel joining the BJP, party sources said.

He was given two options on how would he like to join BJP, in presence of National President in New Delhi, or in presence of Gujarat BJP in-charge Bhupender Yadav or B.L. Santhosh in Gandhinagar. He has selected the second option. Hardik and the BJP are planning to address a large gathering on the day, sources said.

Hardik resigned from the Congress as working president as well as primary member of the party on May 18. Since then speculations were rife that he will join the BJP. A day later, at the press conference, he had told the media that he will announce his decision on Friday.

Since the day Hardik resigned from Congress, he has been attacking the party, saying the party is anti-Patidar and anti- Gujarat. He said that even the party national leaders' action is anti-Gujarat.

Hardik Patel has been particularly targeting Gujarat Congress incharge Raghu Sharma and former GPCC president Bharatsinh Solanki. He said these leaders are not respecting people's sentiments.

--IANS

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