My resentment is against the state leadership not the central leadership, Gujarat Congress leader Hardik Patel has said amid friction in the ranks, but the Patidar leader squarely placed the onus of ensuring he stays with the party on the high command in Delhi.

Hardik Patel, who is also the working president of the state Congress, has been quoted as saying in an interview to The New Indian Express that the party has failed to extend legal help to him in fighting the 32 cases registered against him.

“My resentment is against the state leadership, not against the central leadership… If I am the working president of Congress, then the state leadership must give me some responsibility,” the interview quoted him as saying.

“I am in Congress currently. I hope the central leaders find a way so that I continue to remain in the Congress… The party hasn’t even helped me with a lawyer to fight the cases.,” Patel added.

I am in Congress currently. I hope the central leaders find a way so that I continue to remain in the Congress. There are others who want Hardik to leave the Congress. They want to break my morale. @NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/zW1oHf5m52

— Hardik Patel (@HardikPatel_) April 26, 2022

He also appeared to take exception to Rahul Gandhi purported statement that those who wish to leave the Congress may do so.

“Rahul Gandhi says those who want to leave the Congress may leave. But the state leadership cannot talk like that. You have heard Jagdish Thakor and Dr Raghu Sharma talking in Rahul’s language. What happens if everyone leaves the party?” he asked in the interview to The New Indian Express.”

The Patidar leader’s statement comes amid speculation that he is considering a jump to the BJP after he praised the ruling party for its “decision-making capacity” and said he was “proud to be a Hindu”. Patel had previously dismissed rumours of joining the BJP.

“People talk about so many things. When Joe Biden was elected as US President, I praised him because the Vice President (Kamala Harris) was of Indian descent. Does that mean that I am joining Joe Biden’s party? In politics, if our enemy is good and worth appreciating, we have to keep that in mind too,” he had said on Monday while talking to reporters in Songadh of Tapi district.

“If they (BJP) are good at decision-making, we also need to make quick decisions. If you waste time, people will eventually drift away from us. There are many who want to strengthen the party. My only point is such youngsters must get space in the party.”

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