Hardik met the Nationalist Congress Party leader Praful Patel

Hardik met the Nationalist Congress Party leader Praful Patel at an undisclosed location in Ahmedabad. Hardik and his close associate Dinesh Bambania claimed it was not a political meeting, but a Diwali courtesy meeting.

Hardik tweeted about the meeting with photographs soon after. "This was not the first time we met Prafulbhai. We have met several times over the last year," Bambania said.

There are rumours that Praful Patel might be looking to contest Assembly elections from South Gujarat this time but doubts have arised about NCP supporting Congress.

Patidar Organization Committee members such as
Umiya Mata Sansthan, Unjha, Khodaldham, Kagvad and other Patidar organizations from Sidsar, Ahmedabad and Surat have slammed Hardik for getting involved in politics. "Hardik is now politicizing the issue by lending backdoor support to Congress. This is not what the reservation movement was meant for," Rasikbhai Patel said.