Ahmed Patel represented Gujarat eight instances in parliament. (File)
New Delhi:
Senior Congress chief Ahmed Patel, one in all Sonia Gandhi’s closest political advisers and a prime occasion trouble-shooter, has died at 71. He had been in hospital since his well being worsened after a Covid an infection.
Sonia Gandhi, expressing grief, mentioned she had misplaced “an irreplaceable comrade, a trustworthy colleague and a buddy”. The veteran’s demise is a shock for the Gandhi household at a time it’s going through a riot within the occasion after successive electoral losses.
A staunch Nehru-Gandhi household loyalist, Ahmed Patel served as political secretary to Sonia Gandhi for years and was among the many strongest leaders within the Congress. He by no means joined the federal government, preferring to maintain a low profile.
Within the Congress, “AP” – as he was identified — was the eyes and ears of the management. When Sonia Gandhi took cost of the Congress in 1997, Ahmed Patel helped her navigate powerful political waters and guided her by way of occasion crises, strategic choices and alliances.
Ahmed Patel represented Gujarat eight instances in parliament – thrice as a Lok Sabha member and 5 instances from the Rajya Sabha. His election to the Rajya Sabha for the fifth time in 2017 got here after a bitter contest. He was challenged by a former occasion colleague who had switched to the BJP earlier than the polls.
The son of a social employee, Mr Patel was born in Gujarat’s Bharuch, which he later represented within the Lok Sabha. He joined the Youth Congress and went on to develop into its state president.
Mr Patel began his political profession by contesting native physique elections in Gujarat in 1976.
He was simply 28 when he was handpicked by Indira Gandhi to contest from Bharuch in 1977. He gained in 1980 and 1984 as properly, however misplaced in 1990 because the BJP began gaining prominence.
He served as parliamentary secretary to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and went on to develop into political secretary to his spouse Sonia Gandhi.
In 2018, he was appointed Treasurer of the Congress occasion.
A quiet operator, Mr Patel was mentioned to be among the many key movers within the Congress-led alliance that got here to energy in 2004 and in 2009.
In style in political circles as “Ahmed Bhai“, he was the fly on the wall who would quietly hearken to debates and discussions throughout core group conferences and cupboard formations.
He was at all times a part of key Congress choices, be it on authorities formation, ministers, company ties or allies. Sonia Gandhi, the longest-serving Congress president, relied extensively on him for suggestions and important inputs earlier than taking any step.
In a current interview to NDTV, he had mentioned on questions raised in regards to the Gandhi management: “Why are you speaking in regards to the Gandhi household? The Gandhi household was there. In future it will likely be there.”
When a revolt threatened the Congress Authorities in Rajasthan earlier this 12 months, it was Mr Patel who introduced Sachin Pilot to the negotiating desk and saved the day. After its Bihar defeat, the Congress is as soon as once more in a state of turmoil.
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