Hardik Patel slams Congress, says party 'more interested in keeping Rahul Gandhi happy'

A day after resigning from the Congress party, Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Hardik Patel slammed his previous party and called it casteist.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Hardik Patel levelled a series of allegations against the Congress and its leaders. Calling the party casteist, he said it never had a vision for the development of Gujarat, on the contrary, its party leaders are full of negativity.

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Without naming any senior leaders, Patel alleged that only eight to ten leaders control the party and they are misleading the national leadership. Citing examples of the late Chiman Patel, Narhari Ami, and Vitthal Radadiya, Hardik Patel said injustice was done to them just because they were patidars. He also alleged that Congress leaders believe in dividing Patel's Leuva and Kadva sub-groups.

He also alleged that one family controls the state unit of the Congress party for the last 12 years, though he did not name it, but hinted toward Madhavsinh Solanki, whose son Bharatsinh Solanki was made GPCC president twice in the last decade, then his cousin Amit Chavda was made state unit president.

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Hardik Patel said state Congress leaders do not have the guts, spine, and fighting spirit to take on the BJP. He questioned how can such a party take up people's issues, fight for them, and get justice.

According to Hardik, state congress leaders are more interested in keeping Rahul Gandhi happy by arranging diet coke or Chicken Sandwich for him.

He said, he realized that he wasted three years of his career by joining the Congress. He appealed to the people not to vote for Congress as the party is not interested in serving the people. He said after state elections in 2022, Congress may not be visible on opposition benches, and people may try some other option.

He said he believes that there should be strong opposition in the country or the state, but according to him, Congress does not deserve that status.