Hardik Patel - from Cong to BJP and now Guj MLA. On becoming minister, he says..

Gujarat Assembly election: Patel, 29, quit the Congress earlier this year and joined the BJP, just months before the polls.

Published on: Dec 10, 2022, 12:08:16 IST

By HT News Desk

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Newly-elected Gujarat BJP MLA Hardik Patel on Saturday declared himself delighted with the party's record win in the 2022 Gujarat Assembly election and was 'politically correct' when pressed on a possible cabinet berth in the Bhupendra Patel 2.0 government.

Hardik Patel joined the BJP in June. (PTI File Photo)

Patel - who jumped ship from the Congress in June - said he would 'accept whatever role' is assigned to him by senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders. "Once again BJP has formed the government ... see how strong Gujarat becomes and goes ahead in next five-10 years."

"I don't know... I have played the role of a mere soldier from the beginning. I will accept whatever role the party assigns me," the fiery young Patidar community leader said.

The BJP recorded a landslide win in this month's Gujarat election, claiming 156 of the state's 182 seats to break the Congress' all-time record (149 in 1985).

Full Coverage | 2022 Gujarat Assembly election

Patel made his debut from the Viramgam seat and beat the Congress' Bharwad Bhikhabhai and the AAP's Amarsinh Thakor by over 50,000 votes each.

The young politician - who rose to prominence at the head of the Patidar community's agitation for reservation in 2015 - was a fierce critic of prime minister Narendra Modi's government when he joined the Congress in 2019.

He was made working president of the party's state unit but he resigned earlier this year, saying he not being give responsibilities.

READ | 'Was in Cong. I know...': BJP's Hardik Patel takes swipe at ex party

Last month (before the election) he ripped into both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, declaring both 'have been against Gujarat's culture and pride'. "Gujarat doesn't want to listen to Congress... I was in Congress... I know."

READ | Hardik Patel joins BJP, quits Cong just before Gujarat polls

With the win in the bag the BJP is now focused on Monday's oath-taking ceremony, at which Bhupendra Patel will be sworn in as CM for a second time. It is not yet known if some (or all) cabinet members will be sworn in alongside.

With input from news agency ANI

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