On Wednesday, 18 May, Hardik Patel who gained popularity during the Patidar agitation, quit the party.
Taking swipes at senior leaders, he accused the party of lacking strong leadership both at the state and central levels. He said that Congress only plays the role of a “roadblock” when it comes to serious issues, be it about Ram Mandir, abrogation of Article 370 or GST.
While it’s not yet clear where Patel will be headed next, resignations within the Congress party have been on the rise. There have been brazen expressions of discontentment over the party leadership and the party's functioning from Congress leaders themselves.
Besides Hardik, many prominent and senior leaders – some of whom had decades-long association with the Congress – quit the party and switched over to opposition parties over the last few year.