Patidar leader Hardik Patel has come out in support of Pravin Togadia, agreeing with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader's contention that there are factions within the BJP that are targeting him

Patidar leader Hardik Patel has come out in support of Pravin Togadia, agreeing with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader's contention that there are factions within the BJP that are targeting him.

"I don't agree with Togadia on a number of issues, but on this topic, we are as one. Everybody knows the conspiracy being run under Amitbhai and Narendrabhai. It's a known secret that the RSS is against Pravin Togadia," Patel said on Tuesday.

We know what Amit Shah and Narendra Modi are doing.. RSS is against Praveen Togadia: Hardik Patel pic.twitter.com/zG4nmS2PmS — News18 (@CNNnews18) January 16, 2018

He was addressing the media just hours after Togadia did, where the latter claimed there was a threat to his life. He had said his voice is being suppressed through threats of violence and false court cases.

"A person came to me when I was praying and said they will encounter me. I didn't pay him much attention initially, but then I started receiving calls as well that alleged the same. So now they are using both violence and court cases to target me," he said.

These attempts, however, will not dissuade him from continuing on his path, he insisted. "I have never run from the law and I don't fear anybody. So, I am not running away. I am waiting until the doctors give me a clean chit of health and permit me to travel out of town. Once they do that, I will present myself before the court in Jaipur," he said.

Reacting to these claims, Hardik Patel, who has often clashed with the Sangh Parivar on a number of issues, said a number of groups are under threat under the present government. "The poor people of the state and our farmers are also under threat. There is a real and present danger here. Hindutva isn't under threat, but Hindustan is," he said.