Hardik Patel to fight LS polls, Congress says he may join party

Ahmedabad, Feb. 6: Firebrand Patidar community leader Hardik Patel announced on Wednesday that he would contest the upcoming Lok Sabha election.

Although Patel did not specify whether he would join any political party or contest as an Independent, sources in the Congress claimed that he is likely to join the party to fight the polls.

“Bilkul, hum 2019 mein chunav ladenge ( I will definitely contest the 2019 elections),” Mr Patel told reporters in Lucknow when asked if would take a plunge into electoral politics.

On joining the Congress, the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti ( PAAS) leader said he would take a decision about it later.

Congress sources said negotiations were on with Patel about his joining the party to fight the elections. He might contest the elections from Mehsana or Amreli seat, which have a strong presence of the Patel community, party leaders said.

But Patel has been barred from entering Mehsana by a court in a case of violence during the 2015 Patidar agitation, party sources said. “If the HC vacates the ban on his entry into Mehsana district, he is most likely to contest from Mehsana ( in north Gujarat).... Amreli ( in Saurasthra) is another seat which has been offered to him,” they said. Congress leaders, however, did not rule out the possibility of the PAAS leader contesting the election as an Independent candidate.