Clashes broke out during a public address of Congress leader Hardik Patel at Nikol on Saturday evening, as he campaigned for Geeta Patel, his party candidate from Ahmedabad East.
Sources said some supporters of jailed PAAS leader Alpesh Kathiriya allegedly held banners protesting against Hardik, prompting the latter’s men to attack the former.
PAAS convener Dharmik Malaviya told Zee 24 Kalak that there was no way Alpesh could have been involved in the skirmish. “It appears to be an effort to create a rift between Alpesh and Hardik to weaken the Patidar community,” said Malaviya.
Hardik told the media that he did not see how the violence erupted, but called it an attempt by the BJP to disrupt his meetings.