Journey of Hardik Patel from being student leader to Patidar Andolan face and now joining BJP
Hardik Patel is making headlines as he joins BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) after officially quitting Congress party, months before scheduled Gujarat election. Today the Patidar leader was welcomed at BJP office in Gandhinagar, Gujarat with a saffron scarf and cap.
“I am about to start a new chapter with feelings of national interest, regional interest and social interest. I will work as a small soldier in the massive work in national service under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he had written in Hindi on Twitter.
As Patel tweeted this morning about “starting a new chapter” as a “small soldier” under leadership of PM Narendra Modi, his journey is quite eventful. The 28 year old started as a young student leader and now is the face of Patidar Andolan in Gujarat.
Early life and public life
Born in Chandan Nagari village in Viramgam taluk of Ahmedabad district, Hardik Patel did his graduation from Ahmedabad. He is married to his childhood friend, Kinjal.
His public life started with an organization named SPG (Sardar Patel Group) in Mehsana, North Gujarat. He was 20 at this time. In 2015, Patidar movement was started by SPG demanding OBC reservation for the Patidar community. Patel became a face of this movement.
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Initially the movement was peaceful, but it took a violent turn in Mehsana’s Visnagar when the protesters set BJP MLA’s office on fire. This was when the ‘andolan’ and Patel came to limelight – FIR was registered against him.
Appealed for Congress in 2017
In Gujarat elections in 2017, Patel appealed to Patidars to vote for Congress. He also prepared a blue print against BJP and in support of Congress in this election. This was followed by Patel joining Congress party in 2019. This was when he had said “If I have joined Congress, I am being called a traitor. Had I joined BJP, I would have been established as a big leader.”
In 2020, Hardik Patel was made Gujarat Congress’ working president, becoming the youngest leader to achieve this post in Indian political history.
Quitting Congress to join BJP
On May 18, 2022 Patel announced resigning from Congress to join BJP. Hours before officially joining the saffron party, Patel took on to Twitter to make the announcement.
राष्ट्रहित, प्रदेशहित, जनहित एवं समाज हित की भावनाओं के साथ आज से नए अध्याय का प्रारंभ करने जा रहा हूँ। भारत के यशस्वी प्रधानमंत्री श्री नरेन्द्र भाई मोदी जी के नेतृत्व में चल रहे राष्ट्र सेवा के भगीरथ कार्य में छोटा सा सिपाही बनकर काम करूँगा।
— Hardik Patel (@HardikPatel_) June 2, 2022
