Ahmed Patel’s Amiable Nature Won Him Friends Across Party Lines; Politicians of All Hues Pay Tributes to Congress Trouble-Shooter

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Ahmed Patel. (Photo: File Photo)

He is also said to have played a significant role in stitching an unlikely alliance between the Shiv Sena, the Congress and NCP that resulted in the current coalition government in Maharashtra

Clarion India

NEW DELHI — Ahmed Patel, a senior Congress politician known as a trouble-shooter in his party for his smart skills in resolving crises within the party and stitching alliances, passed away on Wednesday at a private hospital near Delhi.

He was 71.

His son Faisal Patel confirmed the news of his death on Twitter. He said the cause of the death was multiple-organ failure a month after he tested positive for coronavirus.

As the news of the Congress leader’s demise went out, condolences began pouring in from politicians across the divide.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi termed him a “pillar of the Congress party” who “lived and breathed Congress”.

In a tweet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Patel as “a sharp mind” whose role in strengthening Congress will be remembered.

 

President Ramnath Kovind while offering his condolences to the family said that Patel was an “astute Parliamentarian”. “His amiability won him friends across party lines.”

 

Congress president Sonia Gandhi issued a statement to the media saying she had lost an “irreplaceable comrade”. He was considered to be close Sonia Gandhi and party leaders and ministers would approach him to take their word to Gandhi.

 

Sachin Pilot, a Congress leader from Rajasthan, condoled Patel’s demise and said his death had left a void which could not be filled.”

Patel is credited for his role as a mediator in managing the crises in Rajasthan Congress recently when Pilot and 19 MLAs attempted a rebellion against the government of Ashok Ghelot. “It is a great loss for Congress Party and all Congress workers like me,” said Ghelot

Patel was born in Bharuch city in south Gujarat. He has been a member of the Lok Sabha three times and the Rajya Sabha five times. Though he never became a minister, in Rajiv Gandhi’s time, he was parliamentary secretary, a post which holds the rank of Minister of State.

He is also said to have played a significant role in stitching an unlikely alliance between the Shiv Sena, the Congress and NCP that resulted in the current coalition government in Maharashtra even though BJP had emerged as the single largest party.

Shortly after the news of Patel’s death, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said: “The Congress party has lost its Chanakya in Patel’s demise, while the MVA government has lost a guiding light. I got help from his experience and guidance when the MVA government was formed.”

NCP chief Sharad Pawar also expressed his sadness at the demise.

Several others paid rich tributes to the Congress leader.

 

 

Patel’s role in helping assuage the crises within the Congress time and again got him the epithet of ‘trouble-shooter’.

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Clarion India - News, Views and Insights about Indian Muslims, Dalits, Minorities, Women and Other Marginalised and Dispossessed Communities.

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