"Congress is better than BJP," Hardik Patel said in an exclusive conversation with ABP News, on Sunday.
Interestingly, in an exclusive interview to ABP Live's Anurag Kumar, Hardik Patel in May 2017, had hinted that he may support Congress party when he had replied to a question-Will you support Congress?
Hardik Patel had said-"Only the time will tell. But if we want to make BJP lose, then we have to go somewhere."
Click here to read the entire interview--EXCLUSIVE: Modi only 'burst balloons in air'; BJP won't win more than 60 seats in Gujarat, says Hardik Patel
Commenting on his key aides--Varun Patel and Reshma Patel--joining the ruling BJP in poll-bound Gujarat in a dramatic turn of events, quota spearhead leader said-"There is no problem as such...They are the same people who used to criticise the BJP government...I had information about it from past 4-5 days. It's a big money game."
The development came on Saturday hours after state Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki invited Hardik Patel to join hands with the party and he even promised to give an additional 20 per cent reservation to economically backward classes in the state if the Congress is voted to power in the upcoming Gujarat assembly elections.
Varun Patel and Reshma Patel were among the main faces of the Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) and they were critical of the ruling BJP during the agitation.
"I will work to make BJP lose," Hardik Patel said.
While commenting on him getting invitation from Congress, Hardik Patel said-"If someone gives invitation, we have to acknowledge the same because it is our Indian tradition. Joining the party (Congress) or not is a different issue."
"Congress party has democracy where we have right to protest...If Congress wants welfare of the state, people will support the party and will give it power to rule the state," he added.
About Hardik Patel:
Hardik Patel is a political activist who participated in the Patidar reservation agitation, the agitation for the inclusion of the Patidar caste in the Other Backward Class (OBC) category in order to qualify for reserved quotas in education and government jobs.