GUJ HC ALLOWS HARDIK PATEL TO ENTER MEHSANA

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat high court on Friday granted relief to BJP leader Hardik Patel by removing for a year a bail condition prohibiting him from entering the state’s Mehsana district in a rioting case linked to the 2015 Patidar agitation.

Patel on Thursday was fielded by the BJP from Viramgam constituency for next month’s assembly elections. The court’s order came after the state government, which earlier opposed Patel’s plea for entry to Mehsana, gave its consent, people familiar with the matter said.

“According to the applicant, he is a social worker and member of BJP... he is an aspiring candidate to contest the upcoming Gujarat assembly election... the applicant needs to travel frequently in various parts of Gujarat, including Mehsana district, for campaigning and fulfilling the political obligation cast upon him,” the court said.