NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, OCT 26
An unidentified person on Monday hurled a shoe in the direction of Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel when he was addressing the media after a poll rally in Vadodara district.
માનનીય નાયબ મુખ્યમંત્રી શ્રી @Nitinbhai_Patel સાહેબ ની કરજણ વિધાનસભાના લોકલાડીલા ઉમેદવાર શ્રી અક્ષય ભાઈ પટેલ ના સમર્થનમાં જંગી જાહેર સભા યોજાઈ. આ પ્રસંગે ગૃહમંત્રી શ્રી @PradipsinhGuj સાહેબ, મહામંત્રી શ્રી @Shabdsharanbjp જી… pic.twitter.com/lKPzcmty2t
— Mitesh Patel (Bakabhai) – (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Miteshbhaibjp) October 26, 2020
However, the footwear missed the target and landed just a few inches away from Patel.
While the police started an investigation into the incident, the ruling BJP saw Congress’s hand in the episode, a charge rejected by the opposition party.
માન.મુખ્યમંત્રીશ્રી @vijayrupanibjp જી ની અધ્યક્ષતા માં 173-ડાંગ વિધાનસભા ની પેટાચૂંટણી અન્વયે સામાજીક સ્નેહ મિલન સમારોહ યોજાયો. pic.twitter.com/ZmX1NdhPl3
— Ishwar Parmar (Modi Ka Parivar) (@IshwarParmarMLA) October 26, 2020
The incident, which was captured in TV cameras, took place on Monday evening at Kurali village under Karjan taluka in Vadodara district, where a poll rally was organised by the BJP in support of its candidate Akshay Patel.
Karjan is one of the eight assembly seats going to bypolls on November 3.
When Patel was addressing the media near the stage after the rally, someone hurled a shoe in his direction from behind.
Luckily for Patel, the footwear missed him and landed on TV channel mics.
ગુજરાત વિધાનસભાની પેટા ચૂંટણીના સંદર્ભે મોરબી ખાતે પ્રદેશ અધ્યક્ષ શ્રી સી.આર.પાટીલજી અને પ્રદેશ સંગઠન મહામંત્રી શ્રી ભીખુભાઈ દલસાણીયાજીની વિશેષ ઉપસ્થિતિમાં બેઠક યોજાઈ હતી. આ બેઠકમાં પ્રદેશ ઉપાધ્યક્ષ શ્રી આઈ.કે.જાડેજાશ્રી તથા મોરબી જિલ્લા ભાજપા હોદ્દેદારશ્રીઓ ઉપસ્થિત રહ્યા હતા. pic.twitter.com/gAGGLwH8h4
— Saurabh Patel (@saurabhpatelguj) October 26, 2020
While Patel sought to play down the entire episode, saying he had “no idea how it happened,” state BJP spokesperson Prashant Vala blamed the Congress for the incident.
“Seeing defeat, Congress has stooped down to such a low level. It was indeed a Congress worker’s act,” alleged Vala.
Hitting back, Congress spokesperson Jayrajsinh Parmar said it could be an act of a disgruntled BJP worker as he claimed that “all those present at the rally were BJP workers and supporters”.
Karjan Police Inspector AA Desai rushed to the spot and started an investigation.
“Though our policemen were present here, no one saw the person who threw the shoe. We are collecting videos of the rally to identify the culprit,” said Desai.