In the run-up to the Gujarat Elections 2017, a video of a man resembling Patidar leader Hardik Patel has surfaced wherein ‘he’ is seen with a woman in a hotel room. In the video, the man with demeanour similar to that of Hardik Patel is seen conversing with the woman, who is sitting on the bed with her back towards the camera.

The video was widely run by Gujarati news channels on Monday and it was also shared on social media.

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(Source: Youtube)

The woman is also seen taking a phone call as Hardik makes rounds of the bed, trying to figure out where the switch to turn off the lights is. Next, both are seen discussing something sitting on the bed.

The video ends with Hardik Patel swiching off the lights even as a night lamp is still on.

The Statesman couldn’t independently authenticate the content of the video. The date stamp on the video is May 16, 2017.

In reaction, Hardik Patel termed the video as morphed and accused the BJP of trying to tarnish his image.

“I am innocent, people are trying to defame me and tarnish my image,” Patel told the media.

Throwing a challenge at PM Modi, Hardik said the people of Gujarat cannot be fooled by such gimmicks. “PM Narendra Modi believes that the people of Gujarat will be fooled by such images, but the BJP government cannot do so.”

On November 4, the Patidar leader had predicted that BJP may release a video to defame him. He had also termed the video “an insult to the women of Gujarat”.

Hardik said on Twitter it is an insult to the women of Gujarat.

अब गंदी राजनीति की शुरुआत हो गई हैं।मुझे बदनाम कर लो कोई फ़र्क़ नहीं पड़ेगा,लेकिन गुजरात की महिलाओ का अपमान किया जा रहा हैं।

— Hardik Patel (@HardikPatel_) November 13, 2017