Hardik Patel: Pujas and posters before ex-Cong leader joins BJP

Ex-Gujarat Congress leader Hardik Patel - set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of elections in prime minister Narendra Modi's home state this year - performed a puja at his residence Thursday morning before his induction ceremony. Visuals shared by news agency ANI showed Patel participating in a small ceremony with two others. 

Other visuals showed posters outside the BJP's HQ in Gandhinagar, showing Hardik Patel below senior leaders including Modi, home minister Amit Shah and party president JP Nadda.

READ: Hardik Patel before joining BJP: ‘Will be small soldier of PM Modi’

"Today I'm starting a new chapter. I will work as a small soldier. We will do an event every 10 days in which, people including MLAs unhappy with Congress, will be asked to join (BJP)... PM Modi is the pride of the entire world," he said.

Earlier today Patel tweeted: "I will work as a small soldier in the noble service of the nation under the successful leadership of PM Narendra bhai Modi", putting an end to speculation over his joining the BJP.

Patel, who quit the Congress two weeks ago, last week predicted a one-sided Gujarat election and said the BJP would retain power for a seventh term.

"When the elections come, you will see me in an important role..." he also said.

READ: Hardik Patel to join BJP? This is what ex-Congress leader said

Patel also warned his former party they were in danger of losing more ground to the Aam Aadmi Party, having already lost Punjab to Arvind Kejriwal's outfit.

"Their (the AAP's) strategy is definitely better than the Congress'. That’s what I was tired of telling the Congress," he said.

Patel also said were he to join the BJP - and it is almost certain he will today - it would not be on condition that cases filed during the 2015 Patidar agitation against him be withdrawn.

Two weeks ago Hardik Patel ripped into the Congress as he quit, accusing the struggling GOP of not caring about Gujarat or the problems of its people.

READ: 'Opportunist, dishonest': Gujarat Congress slams Hardik Patel

"Whenever I met with the senior leadership, I always felt leaders were not interested in hearing about problems concerning  people of Gujarat but were more engrossed on what messages they received on their mobile…" he said.

READ: Focus on chicken sandwich for Delhi leaders: Hardik Patel

In what was seen as a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, Patel also wrote: "Whenever our country faced challenges and when Congress needed leadership, Congress leaders were enjoying abroad."

Patel rose to prominence as the leader of the Patidar movement of 2015 and a fierce critic of the BJP. He joined the Congress three years ago.

READ: Face of Patidar quota agitation, one-time critic Hardik Patel to join BJP

With input from ANI