Hardik Patel's close aides join BJP

Two leaders from the Patidar community in Gujarat, Reshma Patel, and Varun Patel have joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The leaderswerestaunchcritics of the party during the 2015Patidar agitation.

Reshma Patel said the BJP had acceptedthree of their demands. Sheadded that they had not been fighting for the victory of the Congress party. Instead, their fight was to bring justice tosociety.

She also said that the BJP had always supported the community and accepted a majority of their demands while the Congress was only trying to reap benefits from the Patidarvote bank, PTI reported.

Varun Patel said that they have spoken to the government and the chief minister about their demands, and "they have committed to fulfillthem."

He also said that they do not want to become Congress agents. He further added that while the state government led by BJP held talks with them and tried resolving various issues, the Congress never heldtalks with them, PTI said.

Hardik Patel, who led the Patidar agitation responded to the alliance of his close aides with the BJP by saying that " Centipede will run even after breaking its legs. I have the support of the people. I will fight till I have this support.

Alpesh Thakur joined the party assuring that Hardik will be working with the Congress to defeat BJP.

Solanki even promised to give an additional 20 per cent reservation to economically backward classes in the state if the Congress is voted to power in the upcoming assembly elections PTI reported.