Patidar reservation leader Hardik Patel returned to Gujarat on Tuesday after six months in Rajasthan. He was welcomed by hundreds of members of the Patel community in the state border town of Ratanpur before heading to Himmatnagar, where he is slated to address a rally of thousands, PTI reported.

“I will always fight for my community to give them justice,” he said after reaching Gujarat. His Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti described Patel’s return as the “the start of the second round of the Patel quota agitation.”

Patel was granted bail in a sedition case in July 2016, but the Gujarat High Court had stipulated that he stay outside the state for six months, starting July 17. The 23-year-old Patidar leader, who has been fighting for reservation for the community in colleges and government jobs, had been in Udaipur since then.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said his government was ready to hold talks with Patel to discuss the community’s demanded reservation. Patel is scheduled to meet former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel in Gandhinagar later on Tuesday.