Gujarat cannot be bought by the BJP, Patidar agitation Hardik Patel tweeted on 23 October, after his key aide Narendra Patel alleged that the BJP offered him Rs 1 crore to join the party.
Patel said:
The people of Gujarat are not so cheap to be bought by the BJP. The people are being insulted and they shall have their revenge.
“They Paid Rs 10 Lakh”
Narendra Patel, the convener of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti in north Gujarat, made the allegations at a late night press conference on Sunday, 22 October, hours after he joined the BJP.
He alleged he was paid a sum of Rs 10 lakh in advance on Sunday and was promised that the remaining amount would be paid by 23 October.
At the press conference, he displayed a pile of currency notes and said he was offered the deal through Varun Patel, another key aide of Hardik Patel who had also earlier joined the BJP.
Narendra said:
First Varunbhai called me to his house, then he took me to BJP leader Jitubhai Vaghani’s house in Gandhinagar where they offered me the money. That’s why I am here to tell you that I don’t want money. I am doing this for the well-being of the community, not money.
Nikhil Sawani Quits BJP
Soon after, Nikhil Sawani, a Patidar leader who had recently joined the party, announced his decision to quit the BJP. He told reporters:
Heard about Rs 1 crore offer by BJP to Narendra Patel, I’m upset. I’m leaving BJP today. I will seek Rahul Gandhi’s appointment, meet him and put forward my viewpoint
BJP Blames Congress
Newly-inducted BJP leader Varun Patel brushed away the allegations. “Why did he display only Rs 10 lakhs during the press conference, why not Rs 1 crore? The Patidar community is leaning towards the BJP. Congress is playing political games,” he said.
BJP spokesperson from Gujarat, Bharat Pandya said it is “wrong to announce that one wants to join BJP and then come up with these allegations hours later”. He claimed it was a conspiracy orchestrated by the Congress.
The Congress first tried to wage these proxy wars and they failed so they are carrying out these media stunts. BJP is not to be blamed for those who are going in and out of the party. We have asked for an inquiry on the matter.
(With ANI inputs. This story has been updated.)
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