Patidar quota stir spearhead Hardik Patel's former close aide Chirag Patel, who is facing sedition charges along with Hardik, on 16 November joined the ruling BJP in the presence of Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel.
After joining the saffron party, Chirag accused Hardik of fulfilling his personal ambitions in the garb of leading the agitation for reservation to Patidar community.
Chirag, who was expelled from the Hardik-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) last year, also slammed Hardik over the recent sex clips allegedly involving the latter.
At least three intimate videos purportedly of Hardik are reported to be in circulation currently.
Chirag also questioned the Patidar leader's stand on the Congress, as Hardik had hinted at supporting the party in the Assembly polls, to be held next month.
In August last year, the PAAS had suspended Chirag and another key leader, Ketan Patel, after the duo alleged that Hardik used the agitation as a tool to satisfy his personal ambitions and became a "crorepati" within one year of the movement.
Chirag and Ketan were put behind bars for almost eight months with Hardik, as they are co-accused in the sedition case filed by the Ahmedabad Police following large-scale violence in Gujarat after their mega rally here on 25 August 2015.
However, after they were sidelined by Hardik in August last year, the duo accused Hardik of making money in the garb of leading the agitation. Through an open letter, the duo had also raised their objection about the "dictatorial" approach of Hardik.
Later, the PAAS suspended the duo saying they had levelled baseless allegations against Hardik. At that time, Hardik had said that both Chirag and Ketan were playing into the hands of some BJP leaders, who were "trying to weaken the stir".
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