Hardik Patel had moved the high court, which suspended his sentence but not the conviction (File)
The Supreme Court's snub to Congress leader Hardik Patel--who sought an urgent hearing on his request to cancel his conviction so that he can contest this month's national election--has provided an opportunity to the BJP to take a jibe at him. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Tuesday said that it was a relief to Mr Patel as he would have been defeated if he contested.
Last year, Hardik Patel was sentenced to two years in jail by a lower court in Gujarat for rioting and arson in 2015, during Patidar quota protests that he led. He can't contest if the Supreme Court does not put his conviction on hold by April 4, which is the last date for the filing of nominations if he wants to contest in Gujarat, which votes on April 23.
"What's the urgency now," the top court asked today, pointing out that the conviction dated to 2015.
Mr Rupani took a jibe, saying he would have been exposed if he had contested the election.
"Hardik Patel had expressed his desire to contest from Jamnagar. But the court has now given him relief in a true sense else he would have got exposed (by losing the election had he contested)," Mr Rupani was quoted by news agency PTI as saying.
The Congress has told the news agency that Mr Patel would campaign for the party even if he doesn't contest the election.
Mr Patel had moved the high court, which suspended his sentence but not the conviction. On Friday, the court declined to cancel his conviction.
Under the Representation of the People Act, a convict facing a jail term of two years or more cannot contest unless the conviction is stayed.
Mr Patel had said he would like to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Jamnagar seat in Gujarat and asked the party high command to field him there.
With inputs from PTI