Ahmadabad, May 18: In a major blow to the Congress, working president of the party's Gujarat unit and popular Patidar community leader Hardik Patel has resigned from Congress, weeks after he praised prime minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party for being a "decisive party" while criticising his own for "ignoring" him.
Hardik announced the decision on his Twitter account stating, "Today, with courage I resign from the post and party's primary membership. I hope all my friends and people of Gujarat will welcome my decision. I believe that with my decision, I will be able to work positively for the future of Gujarat."
Hardik also attacked his resignation letter, addressed to party president Sonia Gandhi, in the tweet. It said, "Despite several attempts to steer the Congress in the right direction, the party has constantly been working against the interest of my country and our society..."
The letter reads, "Over the last 3 years I have found that the Congress party and its leadership both at central and state level have been merely reduced to opposing everything, whereas the people always seek an alternative that thinks of their future and is capable of taking India ahead. Be it Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, revocation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, implementation of GST-India wanted solutions for these subjects for a long time and Congress only played the role of a roadblock and was always only obstructive."
"Lack of seriousness about all issues is a major problem with the Congress party's senior leadership..," Hardik's resignation letter stated. It adds without naming anyone in particular, "Whenever our country faced challenges and when the Congress needed leadership, Congress leaders were enjoying abroad! Senior leaders behave in a way like they hate Gujarat and Gujaratis".
Hardik shot to fame in 2015 for leading the agitation under the banner of "Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti" seeking reservation for Patidar community in government jobs, education, among other sectors, and joined the Congress in March 2019 in the presence of party's then-president Rahul Gandhi in Gandhinagar in the run up to Lok Sabha polls.
A year later in July 2020, he was elevated to the post of working president of Gujarat unit, making him the youngest leader to hold this important post. However, barely six months later, the Patidar leader started feeling "frustrated" for not being given any specific role in the party. Besides, he also faced silent protest from the party leaders due to his promotion as working president despite being a newbie.
In February 2021, Hardik voiced his "frustration" for the first time for being "ignored" while talking to a news paper. The frustration is said to have kept growing. Last month, he made several statements alleging senior party leaders for "ignoring" him by not including him in party works such as press conferences, crucial meetings or keeping him in loop before appointing office-bearers in the party.
"Look at the responsibility a working president has in another state. They are in-charge of districts, part of decision making, among other crucial things. But, I haven't been given anything except this post, which has no use," Hardik had said in a recent meeting.
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