Naresh Patel, a powerful Patidar leader from Saurashtra, on Thursday announced that he is suspending his entry into politics. Ending months of speculation over joining a political party, Patel, a well-known philanthropist, said that he was putting his decision to join politics "on hold for the time being" and will be opening an academy to train youth in politics.
Even as speculation is rife that the poll strategist may join the grand old party ahead of the 2024 general election, the immediate focus appears to be the assembly election in Gujarat.
Those who keenly follow politics might have heard the name Naresh Patel popping up in news reports of late. There was speculation that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was planning to send him to the Rajya Sabha after it notched up a spectacular win in Punjab. There were also reports that poll strategist Prashant Kishor and Congress leader and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot
The Congress, it seems, has to deal with the problem of factionalism even in Gujarat, which is going to elections in the coming months. A furious party working president, Hardik Patel, has publicly lashed out against his bosses. Hardik Patel, who was inducted in the Congress by Rahul Gandhi just before the 2017 Gujarat election, exposed the internal turmoil in the opposition party as he accused the leadership of sidelining him. He said he is not invited to any meeting of the state Congress unit