In an embarrassment for Patidar quota activist-turned-Congress leader, Hardik Patel had to travel 100 km by road from from Ahmedabad to Lunawada in Mahisagar district of Gujarat on Thursday after the farmer on whose field the helicopter was to land did not give his nod for its use as a helipad.
The farmer Vinay Patel, who had earlier agreed to allow his farmland to be used as landing spot for his chopper, took a u-turn at the end moment and revoked the permission. The forced Hardik to extend his travel by nearly 2 hours, as he commuted 100 km by road to reach the rally venue.
The 25-year-old, who led the Patidar reservation stir in Gujarat since 2015 and joined the Congress last month, has emerged as a star campaigner for the opposition party, criss- crossing the state in a helicopter to address poll rallies.
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His helicopter ride to Lunawada to address an election rally for Congress’s Panchmahal Lok Sabha candidate Vechatbhai Khant got into trouble after Vinay Patel, went back on his permission to allow the chopper to land on his private field.
“Hardik was to attend an election rally at 5 pm Thursday at Lunawada and two days ago permission was granted for his helicopter to land at a private land.
“But the owner of the private land on which the temporary helipad was to be constructed for the chopper to land declined (permission) at the last moment,” said resident additional collector RR Thakkar.
Since the permission to land his helicopter was cancelled, Hardik Patel travelled to the town by road to address the rally.
Vinay Patel claimed permission for the helicopter’s landing was sought from district authorities here by a local Congress leader without his knowledge.
