PTI

New Delhi, Apr 18: BJP candidate Varun Gandhi on Saturday expressed his gratitude to the party leader L K Advani for having stood by him during his incarceration after being booked under NSA for his alleged hate speeches.

29-year-old Varun, who was released on two-week parole from Etah jail in UP on Thursday, met Advani at his residence here.

During the nearly hour-long meeting, Varun is understood to have expressed his gratitude to the party for having stood by him "staunchly in his hour of crisis," party sources said.

During the meeting, Advani also inquired about Gandhi's campaign plans.

The BJP leader also enquired in detail about Varun's experience in Etah jail.

Varun's meeting comes ahead of his filing nomination for Pilibhit Lok Sabha seat on April 21, for which the last date of filing nomination is April 24 and polling will take place on May 13.

Varun's mother Maneka Gandhi is expected to file her nomination from Aonla seat in Uttar Pradesh today.

Varun was released from Etah jail on parole for two weeks following a Supreme Court directive, 20 days after he was detained under the NSA for making hate speeches at election meetings in Pilibhit.

Varun also assured Advani that he will be more careful with his campaign speeches.

The Supreme Court had ordered the release of Varun on the condition that he will not make any inflammatory speeches during the elections.