AHMEDABAD: Patidar leader Hardik Patel on Thursday apologized to the people of Gujarat for seeking votes for the Congress party.

Addressing a press conference, Hardik Patel claimed that the Congress used Patidars for electoral politics in 2015 and 2017 and again wants to use them in 2022 too.

He noted that Patidar leaders Chiman Bhai was thrown out by the Congress, Vitthal Radadia and Narhari Amin met with the same fate. He said the Congress did injustice to the Patidar leaders. 

Accusing the Congress of practising 'casteist politics,' Hardik Patel said, "I apologize to the people of Gujarat for seeking votes in favour of such a party in 2017. I'm sorry I wasted my three years. I have resigned from the Congress party with great pride”.

Hardik said, when he joined the Congress, he dreamed that he would be able to perform his duty for which he joined the party with interest. The Congress benefitted from Patidars in the elections from 2019 to 2022 when he was in the party. However, he added that he realised that the Congress is doing 'casteist politics'. 

He was all praise for the BJP saying that the government led by the saffron party introduced 10 percent reservation which directly benefited the Patidar community. 

"We were miserable so we were agitating. The government gave 10 percent reservation to the economically weaker section with an open heart. In BJP, every community is given the same priority. People from any community or caste can be the Chief Minister. While in the Congress, decisions are made with the vote bank in mind.”

Attacking Rahul Gandhi again Hardik said “ whenever Rahul Gandhi comes to Gujarat, people sitting in Delhi tell him not to work hard in Gujarat, because there will be no positive result, The only concern of congress leaders was from where they can arrange Rahul Gandhi's chicken sandwich and diet coke"

Attacking Gujarat Congress in-charge and former Rajsthan Minister Dr. Raghusharma Hardik said “Raghu Sharma comes from Rajasthan to teach us about politics, but he forgot what he did with Sachin pilot. Sachin Pilot helped him in the election but Raghu Sharma did not help when pilot needed him.”

Taking about his plan Hardik said, “Right now I have not decided to join any party, whenever I will join any party, I will announce it publicly, I will tell my people openly, and it is not a crime to join any political party, will join a political party, I will announce it very soon,” said Patel