Elections are a year away in Gujarat, but junior spies are already on the job to incriminate political rivals. Activists of the Aam Aadmi Party have secretly filmed the registrar of Surat's Veer Narmad South Gujarat University in their bid to prove the state's BJP government forced cancellation of their leader Arvind Kejriwal's proposed interaction with city traders.

The Delhi chief minister was due to hold a meeting at a university hall on July 10 in a programme hosted by the Vividh Vyapari Mandal. His visit has been called off. And supporters of Kejriwal have mounted a sting operation on the university, clandestinely recording their purported conversation with its registrar. "Mr Kejriwal's event has been cancelled," the university official is heard telling AAP activists in the video released by the party's Gujarat unit.

"It's not cancelled. He's coming," says an AAP supporter. "Then, it's not possible," replies the registrar.

AAP's Gujarat supervisor Gulab Singh Yadav says their supporters conducted the sting three days ago.



PURPOSE OF THE STING OPERATION



The idea behind the secret recordings, he says, was to show the state government pressured the university not to allow Kejriwal's engagement on its complex. "You bring the payment receipt, we'll reimburse the amount. We will write the cheque," the registrar is heard in the clip telling the visiting AAP activists. "Okay. We'll meet the vice-chancellor tomorrow," says an Aam Aadmi Party loyalist.

"Listen to me. This matter is disputable. It's better you cancel it," advises the university official. Earlier in the day, Jailal, who had apparently invited Kejriwal for the July 10 meeting of Surat traders, dismissed AAP's accusations of pressure.

But the Aam Aadmi Party produced another video where he is heard saying he indeed had been forced to call it off. Separately, university vice-chancellor Dakshesh R Thakar denied allegations he was forced to withdraw his permission for Kejriwal's event.

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