New Delhi, In a major boost to the party in Gujarat, Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi on Saturday appointed Hardik Patel as the Working President of the state unit.

In a statement, Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal said: "Sonia Gandhi has approved the appointment of Patel as Working President of Gujarat Congress with immediate effect."

Patidar leader Patel, who launched a movement for reservation for his community in the state in 2015, had joined the Congress in 2017 ahead of the assembly polls.