Hardik Patel praises BJP days after flaying Gujarat Congress, says his options are open

Days after criticising his party for hostility against him, young Patidar leader and Gujarat Congress working president Hardik Patel announced that he has kept his options open, whilst praising the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for their terrific decision-making leadership.

In an interview given to a regional newspaper on Friday, Patel praised the BJP over its decisions in connection with Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, while maintaining that he is also a proud Hindu.

"The BJP has a leadership with terrific decision-making ability. I am not saying this because I am upset with the Congress. They work a lot on their organisation, make regular changes in the role-chart. Like a phone gets updated, the BJP is also bringing new updates to them in the same manner. This has been going on for years now, even people are saying that the Congress is losing and the BJP is winning because of it," said Patel.

When asked about whether he would defect to the BJP, Patel said, "I am very clear on my stance that I will be doing what I can to take Gujarat forward. Many people link me with Kejriwal. Congress, AAP, BJP – I have all options open."

In a recent interview given to The Indian Express, Patel had referred to his position in the Gujarat Congress as a "groom who has undergone vasectomy right after marriage" and had attacked the state leadership for not including him in the decision-making process.

After his comments, AAP Gujarat president Gopal Italia sent a public invitation to Patel to join his party. Patel had then reiterated that he would not leave the Congress.

The recent developments come in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling staying a conviction order against Hardik Patel by a local court in Gujarat in connection with a 2015 Patidar agitation rioting and arson case. The development makes Hardik eligible to contest elections and he has also claimed that he will fight in the upcoming Gujarat Vidhan Sabha polls.

Patel, on Friday morning, held a media interaction in Ahmedabad and claimed that he has apprised the Congress high command of his issues with the state leadership.

While Patel denied having any recent communication with the BJP, he said that the ruling party's political strategies are better than the Congress.