Hardik Patel: News

Hardik Patel is a young Patidar leader and an Indian National Congress (INC) politician from Gujarat. He obtained his Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) degree in 2013 from Sahajanand College, Gujarat University. Patel, along with some other leaders, had been fighting to obtain OBC status for the Patidar community and formed the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) in 2015. The same year, the Patidar agitation first came into the limelight due to the occurrence of mob violence in Visnagar, Gujarat. A BJP MLA’s office was set ablaze during the violence leading to FIRs against many, including Patel. A month later, he addressed a massive rally at GMDC Ground which led to riots in the state, following which he spent nine months in jail on charges of inciting violence. He emerged as a young leader of the Patidar movement, gaining immense popularity by the 2017 Gujarat Assembly elections in which he supported the Congress party. BJP could muster a majority by a very thin margin, finishing below the 100-seat mark. Patel joined the INC in 2019. He was appointed Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee's (GPCC) Working President in July 2020 at just 26 years of age.

02 Jun 2022

Sonia Gandhi

Once face of Patidar quota agitation, Hardik Patel joins BJP

Hardik Patel, who left the Congress last month, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat's Gandhinagar on Thursday.

Gujarat Patidar leader Hardik Patel to join BJP on Thursday

Weeks after leaving the Indian National Congress, Gujarat Patidar leader Hardik Patel is all set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday, reported ANI.

25 May 2022

Congress Party

Joining BJP an option, AAP's strategy better than Congress: Patel

Former Congress leader Hardik Patel on Tuesday said that joining the Gujarat's ruling party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) barely months before the assembly elections, is still a possibility.

18 May 2022

Sonia Gandhi

Huge blow to Gujarat Congress as Hardik Patel quits party

In a huge blow to Congress, its Gujarat leader Hardik Patel resigned from the primary membership of the party on Wednesday amid speculations of infighting in the party's state unit.

19 Apr 2019

Gujarat

Man slaps 'Hitler' Hardik Patel at rally, explains his act

In an unprecedented incident, a man slapped Congress leader Hardik Patel at a rally in Sundernagar in Gujarat, on Friday.

29 Mar 2019

Gujarat

Hardik Patel, convicted in 2015 case, won't contest polls

Patidar leader Hardik Patel, who recently joined Congress, won't contest upcoming polls since a Gujarat High Court rejected his plea seeking a stay on his conviction.

12 Mar 2019

Gujarat

Hardik Patel joins Congress in Rahul Gandhi's presence

Hardik Patel, the firebrand leader who led the Patidar agitation, joined Congress on Tuesday in the presence of party president Rahul Gandhi.

27 Jan 2019

West Bengal

Gujarat: Hardik Patel gets married to childhood friend Kinjal Parikh

Hardik Patel, the Patidar leader from Gujarat, tied the knot with his childhood friend Kinjal Parikh on Sunday, January 27.

03 Sep 2018

Gujarat

Hardik Patel's will: Parents, protesters and 'gaushala' named as inheritors

Patidar leader Hardik Patel, whose hunger strike entered ninth day on Sunday, said he has prepared his will, anticipating he would die early.

25 Aug 2018

Gujarat

Gujarat: Hardik Patel begins indefinite fast for Patidar quota

Patidar leader Hardik Patel began an indefinite fast at his sprawling farmhouse in Gujarat's Ahmedabad today to press for quota for the community after the Gujarat government refused permission for various protest venues he had sought.

12 Aug 2018

Madhya Pradesh

'Faceless' Congress will be wiped out of MP: BJP leader

The Congress is a "faceless, senseless and baseless" party that has no public leader and will be wiped out of Madhya Pradesh in the upcoming Assembly polls, former BJP state president Prabhat Jha said.

28 Jul 2018

Maharashtra

Sena wants Munde to become Maharashtra-CM to clear Maratha-quota file

Taking a dig at Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, the Shiv Sena today said that his cabinet colleague Pankaja Munde should be made the CM for at least an hour to clear the Maratha reservation file.

25 Jul 2018

Gujarat

2015 riots: Hardik Patel sentenced to 2 years in prison

Hardik Patel was sentenced to two years in prison by a Gujarat court in connection to the 2015 riots during the Patel quota movement.

07 Jul 2018

Gujarat

Gujarat: Hardik, Alpesh, Jignesh booked for raid at woman's house

Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel and Gujarat MLAs Alpesh Thakor and Jignesh Mevani were booked on charges of trespassing after allegedly leading a "raid" at a house where they claimed liquor was illegally stored.

14 Jun 2018

Gujarat

Hardik claims Gujarat-CM Rupani resigned; CM rubbishes it as 'lies'

Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel today stirred a controversy by making a claim about the resignation of Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani, who rubbished it as "lies" and "false rumors".

11 Jun 2018

Sridevi

Hardik Patel: Sunny Leone deserves as much respect as Sridevi-Madhuri

In a rather quirky statement, Patidaar leader Hardik Patel has said that in order to change for the better, the country needs to respect Sunny Leone as much as it does other mainstream Bollywood heroines.

07 Jun 2018

Madhya Pradesh

Unidentified people throw eggs, slippers at Hardik Patel's car

Unidentified persons allegedly threw eggs and slippers at the car of Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur today.

10 Feb 2018

West Bengal

Mamata Banerjee to Hardik Patel: Join Trinamool Congress

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee recently met Hardik Patel, Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti's convener, at the State Secretariat and urged him to join Trinamool Congress.

18 Dec 2017

Gujarat

#IndiaDecidesOn18th: Hardik-Jignesh-Alpesh trio saves the day for Congress!

Congress's alliance with the trio of Patidar quota leader Hardik Patel, Dalit activist Jignesh Mevani and OBC activist Alpesh Thakor allowed it to give BJP a tough fight.

07 Dec 2017

Gujarat

Gujarat polls: Hardik Patel sex-CDs Part III go viral

Apart from Hardik's capacity to draw massive crowd at rallies, his purported sex-CDs continue to provide him sensational coverage.

22 Nov 2017

Gujarat

Gujarat elections: After weeks of drama, Hardik Patel backs Congress

After weeks of dilly-dallying over seat distribution and quota negotiations, Patidar leader Hardik Patel has announced his tie-up with Congress for the upcoming Gujarat elections.

21 Nov 2017

Gujarat

Gujarat Elections: Why is Congress adhering to Hardik Patel's demands?

Hardik Patel and Congress have been involved in some hard-nosed negotiations for the upcoming Gujarat elections.

20 Nov 2017

Gujarat

Gujarat elections: Congress-Patidars agree on quotas, clash over seat-sharing

In a dramatic turn of events, after weeks of uncertainty, Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) and Congress reached an agreement on quotas but disagreed on seat-sharing.

19 Nov 2017

Gujarat

Gujarat elections: Protests and resignations after BJP releases candidates' list

All is not well for the BJP in Gujarat. The release of its first list of candidates with 70 names has triggered protests, with senior leaders expressing their dissatisfaction.

19 Nov 2017

Gujarat Elections

Hardik gives Congress 24 hours to decide on reservation, seats

After initially expressing satisfaction with the options set forth by the Congress, Patidar quota leader Hardik Patel has now retracted his stand.

17 Nov 2017

Gujarat Elections

Maker of Hardik Patel's sex CDs was his own associate!

Hardik Patel's sex CDs that have Gujarat in a tizzy ahead of the elections were allegedly prepared by Surat resident, Vipul Mendarpara.

16 Nov 2017

India

Hardik Patel says BJP would trap him in sexual-harassment case

Patidar leader Hardik Patel has now claimed that some IAS/IPS officers threatened him to end the quota agitation or else, to malign his image, his sex-CDs would be released.

16 Nov 2017

Gujarat

Gujarat Elections: Congress to field eight candidates recommended by Hardik

For upcoming Gujarat elections, Congress and Patidar leader Hardik Patel have finally landed on the same page.

13 Nov 2017

Gujarat Elections

Hardik Patel's sex tape surfaces online. Is it really him?

Hardik Patel's words have come to haunt him.

04 Nov 2017

Gujarat

Hardik: BJP will use "fake sex CD" to defame me!

The run-up to the Gujarat elections seems to be getting sensational by the day.

31 Oct 2017

Gujarat

Gujarat: Congress accepts 4 of 5 demands of Hardik's faction

Gujarat Congress and Hardik Patel's Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) met to discuss the possibility of an alliance for the Assembly elections.

29 Oct 2017

Gujarat

Hardik threatens Congress: Announce Patidar reservation plan or face consequences!

As Congress woos Patidar leader Hardik Patel for the upcoming Gujarat elections, apparently he has decided to play hard to get.

13 Sep 2017

Gujarat

Tension in Surat: Patidars torch buses, vandalize property

Tension broke out in Gujarat's Surat after some Patidar protesters torched two buses in Varachha area.

08 Feb 2017

Uddhav Thackeray

Major disaster averted in repeat of 'sabotage' attempt

The motorman of the Pune-Santragachi Express averted a major disaster when he stopped the train immediately after hitting a 1.5-metre metal piece kept on the tracks at Kalamboli.

Gujarat Govt to appeal against HC's EBC order

Gujarat High Court (HC) quashed a 10% quota for Economically Backward Classes (EBC) announced by the Gujarat Government.