In poll booster, Hardik Patel set to join BJP

GANDHINAGAR: Gujarat Patidar leader Hardik Patel who recently quit Congress on Tuesday confirmed that he will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Patel told ANI that he would be joining the BJP on June 2.

Patel, after quitting Congress, had hit out at the party leadership for the derogatory and hateful remarks by the party leaders against "Hindus and Lord Ram".

Patel slammed a former Gujarat Congress president who allegedly said dogs had urinated on bricks being used for building the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

"I had said earlier too that the Congress party works to hurt the sentiments of the people, always trying to damage the faith of the Hindu religion. Today, a former Union minister and Gujarat Congress leader made a statement that dogs urinate on the bricks of Ram temple," Patel had tweeted.

He then questioned Congress, and its leaders, asking "what enmity do you have against Lord Shri Ram? Why hate Hindus so much? After centuries, a temple of Lord Shri Ram is also being built in Ayodhya, yet the leaders of Congress keep making statements against Lord Ram."

On May 19, Patel resigned from the party and stated that Gujarat Congress leaders were least bothered to address real issues of the state but were more focussed on ensuring that the leaders who come from Delhi to Gujarat get "chicken sandwich" on time. He had also alleged that Gujarat Congress leaders tried to disrupt his political effort "sitting in the AC chambers".

Meanwhile, Gujarat Congress chief Jagdish Thakor has claimed that Patel decided to quit the party as he was afraid that he might have to go to jail in sedition cases registered against him.

The Gujarat Assembly elections are slated to be held this year.

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