Ahmedabad, Sept. 6: Hardik Patel, the Patels' quota agitation spearhead, postponed a "Reverse Dandi Yatra" planned for today after the threat of a showdown with OBC groups opposed to his call.

The signs of trouble came in some OBC-dominated villages near Dandi in Navsari district where the 387km march to Ahmedabad would have started. The groups oppose the Patels' demand for recognition as an OBC, fearing it would bite into their share of the reservation pie.

Hardik's Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) announced the march would now be held on September 13, "permission or no permission".

"The administration denied permission because 33 OBC-dominated coastal villages had threatened to oppose the march. We chose not to go ahead because we don't want any confrontation with the authorities or the OBC communities, which would disturb peace. So we decided to postpone the march to September 13," Hardik, who was to lead the march, said.

The administration denied the permission citing the law-and-order situation and the ongoing festival season after Janmashtami. Navsari DM R.M. Muthadath was learnt to have been approached by representatives of the OBC groups who asked her not to allow the event as it could trigger violence.

But Hardik warned the march next Sunday would be held come what may . "Even if we don't get the nod, we will go ahead. The authorities will be responsible for any untoward incidents in the event of any confrontation, which cannot be ruled out," said the 22-year-old leader, whose brief detention last month sparked days of violence that claimed around 10 lives and rattled the Anandiben Patel-led BJP government.

Hardik said today the OBCs would not create problems and claimed he had "pacified" them.

But Alpesh Thakor,convener of the Ekta Manch that represents the other groups and was formed recently to counter the Patels' campaign, denied Hardik's claim.

"We will continue to oppose the march. We will see to it that they don't come to Dandi. OBC groups have a sizeable majority in the 33-odd villages of Navsari's Jalalpore taluka where Dandi is located," Thakor, 39, said.

He called the idea of a reverse Dandi march "absurd". "The OBCs are against the Patidar (Patel) community's demand for inclusion in the OBC list. The march is a political stunt."

He said members of the Manch would meet government representatives tomorrow and explain why permission should not be given for next week's march.

Hardik, however, justified his move, alluding to Mahatma Gandhi's 1930 trek from his Sabarmati ashram to Dandi after the British imposed tax on salt. "In the changed situation, we need to bring Gandhi from Dandi to Sabarmati."