Highlights:
- Ahmed Patel, senior Congress leader, dies at age of 71 in a Gurugram hospital
- Ahmed Patel announced him testing COVID-19 positive in October
- He suffered multiple organ failure
- His last tweet was a condolence message for another political giant
On Wednesday, a senior Congress leader and party’s top strategist Ahmed Patel took his last breath in a hospital in Gurugram due to multiple organ failure. He suffered complication related to the novel Coronavirus.
Patel, 71, was critical since last few days and was admitted to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram on the 15th of November after he developed complications. His son Faisal said he died at 3:30 AM.
In a tweet, he said, “With profound grief & sorrow, I regret to announce the sad and untimely demise of my father, Mr. Ahmed Patel at 25/11/2020, 03:30 AM. After testing positive for Covid-19 around a month back, his health worsened further due to multiple organ failures. May Allah grant him Jannatul firdaus, inshallah,”.
@ahmedpatel pic.twitter.com/7bboZbQ2A6
— Faisal Patel (@mfaisalpatel) November 24, 2020
“AP” to his friends and “Ahmed Bhai” to colleagues, Patel was one of the closest aides of the Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and was her political secretary for a long time.
Ahmed Patel was known as the troubleshooter for the Congress party and had steered the party out of many tricky situations. He was said to be the grand old party’s pointsman as be built consensus on key issues with other parties and leaders.
Patel was also known to be a very soft-spoken and affable man, qualities very rare in today’s political era, he was a well respected man and had friends across the aisle and in different spheres.
This quality was evidenced in his last tweet where he paid tribute to another leader who had just passed away — Ram Vilas Paswan.
Ahmed Patel, in his last tweet said, “Chirag, shocked to hear about the demise of your father! Ram Vilas Paswan ji was a champion of the downtrodden and had immense faith in India’s pluralism & diversity. It’s a big loss for the nation. My condolences to you, your family and all his supporters.”
Chirag, shocked to hear about the demise of your father !
— Ahmed Patel (@ahmedpatel) October 8, 2020
Ram Vilas Paswan ji was a champion of the downtrodden and had immense faith in India’s pluralism & diversity.
It’s a big loss for the nation. My condolences to you, your family and all his supporters https://t.co/8Nj9h5YxhY
On the 1st of October, the veteran Congress leader announced of testing positive for COVID-19 and urged that all those who came in contact with him should also get themselves tested and self-isolate for the novel virus.
I have tested positive for Covid19. I request all those who came in close contact with me recently, to self isolate
— Ahmed Patel (@ahmedpatel) October 1, 2020
Before his demise, Patel was a member of the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat. He was an eight-time parliamentarian out of 5 times he was in the Rajya Sabha, and three times in the Lok Sabha. His last Rajya Sabha election in 2017 was contested very keenly amid charges of horse-trading.
He was also the treasurer for the Congress party before his death, a position he held three times.
Many big politicians including President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Congress leaders, including party chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, and Union ministers condoled Patel’s demise.
Primer Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Saddened by the demise of Ahmed Patel Ji. He spent years in public life, serving society. Known for his sharp mind, his role in strengthening the Congress Party would always be remembered. Spoke to his son Faisal and expressed condolences. May Ahmed Bhai’s soul rest in peace.”
Saddened by the demise of Ahmed Patel Ji. He spent years in public life, serving society. Known for his sharp mind, his role in strengthening the Congress Party would always be remembered. Spoke to his son Faisal and expressed condolences. May Ahmed Bhai’s soul rest in peace.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 25, 2020
Sonia Gandhi said, “I have lost a colleague, whose entire life was dedicated to the Congress Party.”
Congress President Smt Sonia Gandhi’s condolence message on the demise of Shri Ahmed Patel. pic.twitter.com/JiOwjr3j1n
— Congress (@INCIndia) November 25, 2020
“His faithfulness and dedication, his commitment to his duty, his always being there to help, his generosity were rare qualities that distinguished him from others. I have lost an irreplaceable comrade, a faithful colleague and a friend. I mourn his passing and I feel deeply for his bereaved family to whom I offer my sincere feelings of empathy and support,” she had said.
Rahul Gandhi said, “It is a sad day. Shri Ahmed Patel was a pillar of the Congress party. He lived and breathed Congress and stood with the party through its most difficult times. He was a tremendous asset. We will miss him. My love and condolences to Faisal, Mumtaz & the family,” in a tweet.
It is a sad day. Shri Ahmed Patel was a pillar of the Congress party. He lived and breathed Congress and stood with the party through its most difficult times. He was a tremendous asset.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 25, 2020
We will miss him. My love and condolences to Faisal, Mumtaz & the family. pic.twitter.com/sZaOXOIMEX
President of India Ram Nath Kovind tweeted, “Distressed to know that veteran Congress leader Ahmed Patel is no more. An astute Parliamentarian, Shri Patel combined the skills of a strategist and the charm of a mass leader. His amiability won him friends across party lines. My condolences to his family and friends.”
Distressed to know that veteran Congress leader Ahmed Patel is no more. An astute Parliamentarian, Shri Patel combined the skills of a strategist and the charm of a mass leader. His amiability won him friends across party lines. My condolences to his family and friends.
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) November 25, 2020
In the year 1976, Patel embarked on his political journey when he contested in the local body polls in Bharuch District in Gujarat. He went on to become Lok Sabha MP in March 1977 and was a member of the sixth, seventh and eighth Lok Sabha until 1989.
Patel was elected to the Rajya Sabha for the first time in August 1993.
Patel was also known to be a close aide of Rajiv Gandhi and was also the parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister from 1985 to 1986.
Later, Patel took charge of the Congress’s organisational structure not just in Gujarat but also at the party high-command. Even though Patel never became a minister, he never failed to work for the party as the background man in the Congress party and was at the centre stage of the party’s decision-making until his death.
Patel is the second congress leader to have died because of COVID-19 related complication, as his death comes just 2 days after the demise of the former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi who passed away in Guwahati.
