Ahmedabad, Mar 20 (IANS): The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing on a plea of Congress leader and convener of Patidar Ananmat Aandolan Samiti (PAAS), Hardik Patel, seeking a stay on the conviction by Mehsana district court, to enable him to contest the upcoming general election from Gujarat.

The next hearing has been scheduled to the March 26.

Hardik had approached the court seeking a stay on the Mehsana court conviction in the rioting and arson case in Visnagar town during the Patel agitation in 2015. The Mehsana court had ordered a two-year imprisonment in the case.

Hardik has prayed for a stay on the order so that he could contest in

the 2019 Lok Sabha election, possibly from the Jamnagar seat.

Justice Abdullahmiya Uraizi has scheduled the next hearing on the 26th. Earlier, Justice R.P. Dholaria had recused himself from the case.

Meanwhile, Hardik Patel on his Twitter account tweeted, "The BJP is scared in Gujarat. The public prosecutor has been asking for dates after dates. While BJP leaders, convicted for five years' imprisonment, can contest elections, every attempt is made by the BJP to prevent me from contesting."