Mumbai: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and revenue minister Chandrakant Patil met controversial right-wing leader Sambhaji Bhide at his residence in Kolhapur on early Thursday morning. The two spoke for almost half an hour, but both sides have refused to reveal the nature of their talks. Mr Bhide entered the limelight after he was accused for fanning riots in Bhima-Koregaon on January 1, 2018.  

Mr Bhide generally stays in Sangli district. Mr Bhide had gone to see Mr Patil in Kolhapur on Wednesday but failed to meet him, so the meeting was rescheduled for Thursday morning, sources said.

Mr Bhide is the leader of the right-wing organisation Shri Shiv Pratishthan, which has a good network mainly in Satara and Sangli districts. He is named in the FIR for the riots that broke out at Bhima-Koregaon on January 1, 2018, allegedly between two communities. A large number of Dalits had gathered at the site to pay respects at a memorial commemorating the victory of the British Army over the Peshwas 200 years ago.

There have been the allegations that the BJP is trying to save Mr Bhide in the case. Opposition parties and social organisations have alleged that Mr Bhide is being saved because he is a right-wing ideologue.