Hardik denies meeting Rahul, asks how hotel CCTV footage was leaked

Gandhinagar/New Delhi, Oct 24 (IANS) Firebrand Patidar leader Hardik Patel on Tuesday denied reports that he met Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi in an Ahmedabad hotel and wondered how CCTV footage of the five-star hotel where they were staying got leaked.

"I did not meet Rahul Gandhi but whenever I will meet him, will go to meet him after declaring it to whole Hindustan. We will meet during his next Gujarat visit. Bharat Mata Ki Jai," Patel said in a tweet.

Patel, who had met AICC General Secretary in-charge of Gujarat Ashok Gehlot, hit back at Bharatiya Janata Party leaders for dubbing him an "agent" of Congress.

"Those who say I am an agent of Congress are in fact the agent of BJP. I do not bother what BJP leaders say," he said in another tweet.

Patel, who spearheaded the Patidar reservation movement in the state in 2015, sought to know how could Gujarat police or the state government ask for CCTV grabs of the Ummed Hotel where he was staying, and where Rahul Gandhi too stayed on Monday - sparking speculation that they held a secret meeting.

"Keep your hands on your heart and say if I have committed any crime. How did the CCTV footage of a five-star hotel get leaked," he said.

Patel, who has been maintaining that he would not join the Congress, flayed Gujarat's ruling BJP.

"World's largest 'miss call' party is being forced to pay Rs 1 crore for making members," he said, referring to some Patidar leaders alleging they were offered Rs 1 crore to join the BJP ahead of the state elections.