Hardik Patel appointed Gujarat Congress working president

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 11

Hardik Patel was appointed working president of Gujarat Congress---a position currently being held by Amit Chavda--- on Saturday.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi approved the appointment of 26-year-old Patel, who had joined the Congress in March last year ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

A press released signed by All India Congress Committee general secretary KC Venugopal said: “Hon’ble Congress President has approved the proposal of the appointment of Shri. Hardik Patel as the Working President of Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee with immediate effect”.

The founder of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), Patel rose to prominence as the face of the Patidar agitation in 2015 that eventually turned violent. He still faces sedition cases in connection with the protests.

Before he joined the Congress, he had claimed neither he nor any member of his Samiti would ever join politics or form a party and had argued for citizen activism. 

The Bharatiya Janata Party had accused him of being the Congress party's B-team during the 2017 assembly polls.

Patel’s appointment is being seen as Congress party's attempt at wooing the resourceful Patidar community in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state.