Ex-Gujarat Congress leader Hardik Patel – set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of elections in prime minister Narendra Modi’s home state this year – performed a puja at his residence Thursday morning before his induction ceremony. Visuals shared by news agency ANI showed Patel participating in a small ceremony with two others.
Other visuals showed posters outside the BJP’s HQ in Gandhinagar, showing Hardik Patel below senior leaders including Modi, home minister Amit Shah and party president JP Nadda.
“Today I’m starting a new chapter. I will work as a small soldier. We will do an event every 10 days in which, people including MLAs unhappy with Congress, will be asked to join (BJP)… PM Modi is the pride of the entire world,” he said.Earlier today Patel tweeted: “I will work as a small soldier in the noble service of the nation under the successful leadership of PM Narendra bhai Modi”, putting an end to speculation over his joining the BJP. Patel, who quit the Congress two weeks ago, last week predicted a one-sided Gujarat election and said the BJP would retain power for a seventh term.
