Ahmed Patel, Congress' man Friday and Sonia Gandhi's staunch loyalist

Veteran Congress leader Ahmed Patel died on Wednesday (November 25) morning at a Gurgaon hospital due to COVID-19 related complications. He was 71.

Confirming the news, Patel's son Faisal informed about the death of his father Ahmed Patel from multiple organ failure at 3:30 AM. 

Ahmed Patel, who was popularly known as 'Ahmed Bhai' in political circle, was an eight-time parliamentarian. He served three terms in the Lok Sabha and five terms in the Rajya Sabha. Patel was appointed as the Treasurer of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in August 2018.

Ahmed Patel started his political journey with the Congress by contesting local body elections in Gujarat's Bharuch district in 1976. Patel was later given charge of the Congress' organisational structure both in Gujarat and at the Centre. Patel was appointed Parliament Secretary to the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1985. 

Patel was a staunch loyalist of Nehru-Gandhi family and he always stood with the family through thick and thin. When Sonia Gandhi decided to enter politics, she appointed Ahmed Patel as her political secretary. Patel was widely regarded by many as one of the most powerful leaders in the Congress but he never joined the government. Patel always preferred to maintain a low profile and never showed interest in becoming a part of the government.

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In 2017, Patel was elected to the Rajya Sabha after a nail-biting contest. Patel's election to the Upper House was challenged by a former Congress leader who decided to join the BJP days ahead of the Rajya Sabha poll. 

Patel was born in Bharuch and his father was a social worker. Patel joined the Youth Congress in Bharuch and then went on to become its state president.

In 1977, Patel was only 28-year-old when Indira Gandhi selected him to contest Lok Sabha election from Bharuch. Patel won from Bharuch in 1980 and 1984 Lok Sabha election. 

Patel was an intelligent politician and was one of the key faces in the Congress-led UPA alliance that remained in power at the Centre from 2004-2014.