Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Hardik Patel who is spearheading the Patidar reservation movement is now contemplating contesting the upcoming 2019 general elections. For the same, he is expected to meet Dalit activist and Congress-supported ‘independent’ MLA from Gujarat, Jignesh Mevani and Gujarat Congress leader Himmat Patel.
As per reports, Hardik is preparing himself for the general elections and hence instead of spending time on reservation related programs, he is attending more political programs. For the first time, Hardik Patel, Jignesh Mevani and Congress leader Himmat Patel will publicly share stage on the forum of “Hamari Awaz, Hamara Adhikar” NGO.
Hardik could not contest the state assembly elections in Gujarat last year as he was few months short of 25 years. He is expected to contest from the Rajkot Lok Sabha seat.
The controversial Patidar leader rose to prominence when he led the reservation agitation in 2016 which quickly turned violent. Hardik Patel is now convicted for causing riots in Mehasana and has been found guilty of charges related to arson and creating a ruckus at the office of BJP MLA Rushikesh Patel. He is also accused of large-scale violence in the state of Gujarat during the 2015 Patidar Andolan seeking reservations for Patidar community. A sedition case is also going on against him in an Ahmedabad court.