GANDHINAGAR: Former Gujarat Congress leader Hardik Patel is all set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from Thursday onwards. Ahead of joining the BJP, he tweeted about beginning a new chapter in life. He said that he will work as a small soldier to serve the nation under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "With the feelings of national interest, state interest, public interest and social interest, I am going to start a new chapter from today. I will work as a small soldier in the noble work of service to the nation under the leadership of the successful Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi," Patel tweeted.

Hardik Patel's joining the BJP is a major setback for the Congress as elections to the Gujarat Assembly are scheduled for later this year. Patel had left the Congress on May 18. Along with the resignation letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, he had then tweeted, “Today I took the courage to resign from the post (Gujarat Congress Committee working president) and primary membership of the Congress Party. I am sure that my decision will be welcomed by all my colleagues and the people of Gujarat. I believe that after this step, I will be able to work truly for Gujarat in future."

Earlier, Patel had alleged that for the past three years, the Congress has been reduced to opposing anything at the central and state levels without thinking about the future of the people. “You (Congress) are only working for money, not societal good. I feel bad today. Many of my leaders had said I made a wrong decision while joining. But I had joined with some hopes and dreams. But today I apologise. This was a wrong decision”, he said in a press conference.