Ahead of Gujarat polls, Hardik Patel dissociates himself from Congress on Twitter

While the sulking Gujarat Congress' working President Hardik Patel on Monday removed his designation from Twitter account, showing his continuous disappointment with party leaders for "ignoring" him, the party was busy preparing for a "grand" welcome to Dalit leader and independent MLA Jignesh Mevani, who is arriving in the city on Tuesday after spending ten days in Assam police remand in two separate criminal cases.

Amid the speculations over Hardik Patel defecting to BJP for the past several weeks over differences with "state party leaders", the young Congress leader removed his designation "Working President of Gujarat Congress" from his Twitter account. Hours later, he retweeted party's ex-national president Rahul Gandhi attacking the Central government over "power, job, farmer and inflation crisis."

Patel had earlier expressed displeasure over the Gujarat Congress' "style of functioning", claiming that he was sidelined in the state unit and the leadership is not willing to utilise his "skills". He has since been invited to join the Aam Aadmi Party.

Patel has also praised the ruling BJP for its "decision-making capacity", which he said is lacking in the leadership of the opposition party's state unit, though he ruled out joining the saffron outfit.

"He is really upset with the party leaders and despite his repeated attempts the issues are not being resolved. That's the reason why he is angry and using these theatrics to pressurise the leaders," said a party leader considered to be close to Hardik. He denied having any information on Hardik joining the ruling party.

Last week, scores of party leaders had attended death anniversary of Hardik's father in Viramgam, about two hours drive from Ahmedabad, and made statements that Hardik would be given "key responsibilities" soon in preparation for the Assembly polls. Sources said that several top BJP leaders were also supposed to attend the event but they didn't turn up.

Still in 20s, Hardik, who belongs to Kadva Patidars community, an influential vote bank in north Gujarat, has the potential for upsetting Congress' poll equation. While his stellar role in leading the Patidar agitation in 2015 for reservation through Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti gave him national prominence, his rise to working president left several senior party leaders unhappy.

In the 2017 Assembly polls, he helped Congress by supporting it from outside, but things changed after he joined the party in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls in 2019 under the presence of Rahul Gandhi. Since 2021, Hardik has been voicing his opinion candidly complaining about his issues with the state leadership for not including him in any decision making or giving him any responsibility.

On the other hand, the prospect of 42-year-old Jignesh Mevani joining the party is said to have risen manifold ever since he declared his public support to Congress. The Vadgam MLA's joining the party is barely a formality. He came to prominence in 2016 when he took the march against Dalit atrocities in Una town of Gir Somnath district in 2016.

A senior Congress leader said, "Although Dalit accounts for barely 7-8 per cent in the state, his image as fearful leader, who can taken on the might of BJP, and appeals to a larger constituency. His arrest and rearrest in frivolous cases are helping him emerge as a hero. We hope that the party takes care of him not just as a Dalit face but also someone who is articulate and fearless."

Manish Doshi, chief spokesperson of Gujarat Congress, said that the party is going to welcome Mevani in a grand function upon his arrival on Tuesday. The party has distributed posters keeping Mevani in the centre which reads, "Satyamev Jayate Jansabha." The poster has pictures of senior leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Gujarat incharge Raghu Sharma, state president Jagdish Thakor among others.

Watch latest videos by DH here: