Let's talk, Gujarat Congress tells Hardik after his public outburst

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat Congress has invited its working president Hardik Patel for talks to resolve differences after his recent statements in public expressing his grievances against the party's state leadership and also praising the ruling BJP, GPCC chief Jagdish Thakor said on Wednesday.

Patel is miffed with the state leadership of the Congress and has been publicly voicing his displeasure over its functioning in Gujarat, where assembly polls are due by the year-end.

"Hardik (Patel) tweeted yesterday. As soon as I learnt about his tweet, I called him immediately and said, 'we came to know about your grievances from the media. Let us sit down and talk about whatever complaints you have'," Thakor told reporters here.

The Gujarat Congress president said he has reached out to Patel over the phone every time he came across his statement against the party, asking him to meet and discuss the matter.

Thakor said Patel has assured to meet him as soon as he is free from his prior engagements.

"I called him last week, and again yesterday. Last time he said he was busy with the death anniversary of his father. Later, he said he was in Surat, and he will meet as soon as he is free," he said.

"Dialogue is the best way to resolve differences, this is what we and the high command believe in," Thakor further said.

Recently, Patel, a prominent Patidar leader who spearheaded a statewide agitation demanding reservation in jobs and education for his community, went public with his praise for the working style of the BJP and criticised the state Congress leadership.