Gujarat High Court on Friday rejected Congress leader Hardik Patel’s plea seeking suspension of his conviction in a rioting case of 2015 in Mehsana.
As per the Representation of the People Act, 1951, Patel will not be able to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls due to his conviction.
Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel earlier this month joined the Congress party in the presence of its chief Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
Earlier in February, Hardik had expressed his desire to fight the Lok Sabha elections.
According to Congress sources, the party had offered him Lok Sabha ticket from Mehasana or Amreli.
Hardik could only contest if he cleared the legal hurdles related to a riot case connected to the 2015 Patidar quota agitation.
In July last year, the sessions court of Visnagar in Mehsana district had sentenced him to two years imprisonment for rioting and arson which took place in Visnagar town in 2015.