Not joining BJP on May 30, says Hardik Patel

Former Congress leader Hardik Patel denied speculation that he will join the BJP on Monday, and took to Twitter to attack the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the killing of popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala.

"I am not joining BJP tomorrow...will let you know if something like this happens," Patel told PTI on Sunday.

Patel, who rose to prominence leading the Patidar quota stir, left the Congress recently. Attacking the Bhagwant Mann government in the northern state, Patel tweeted, "Punjab has realised with a very sad incident today as to how deadly it is for any government to go into chaotic hands. Brutal murder of an international kabaddi player a few days ago, and a famous young artist Sidhu Moosawale today is raising important questions."

"The Chief Minister of Punjab and the people running the Aam Aadmi Party's Punjab government from Delhi will have to think whether they want to become another party like the Congress to give pain to Punjab or really do something for the people. My tribute to Sidhu Moosewala," he said in another tweet.

Moosewala was shot dead in Punjab's Mansa district, with police there claiming it may be the fallout of an inter-gang rivalry. The Patidar quota agitation leader had recently resigned as the Gujarat Congress working president and from the party's primary membership.

Before quitting, Patel (28), who had joined the Congress in 2019, wrote a scathing letter to party chief Sonia Gandhi, claiming the party "only played the role of a roadblock" over certain key issues in the country and was "merely reduced to opposing everything". He had also recently praised the BJP for its "decision making" leadership.