Ahmed Patel: Congress' crisis manager and Sonia Gandhi's most trusted lieutenant

Image Credit: PTI

New Delhi: Ahmed Patel, who is known to be the Congress party's most reliable crisis manager, was re-elected to the Rajya Sabha for the fifth term in a nail-biting contest in which he defeated Balwantsinh Rajput of the BJP.

Rajput had earlier resigned as Congress legislator to take on Patel. However, Rajput lost the electoral contest which has become a 'battle of prestige' for the Congress and the BJP ahead of crucial assembly elections in Gujarat.    

The victory for the four-term senior Congress legislator Ahmed Patel was not easy as the Election Commission had to nullify two votes of Congress MLAs who were captured on camera showing their vote to a BJP poll agent.

Despite the high-voltage drama, Patel's victory comes as major relief for the Congress party, which is witnessing a gradual erosion in its voter base with Narendra Modi-led BJP's rise after the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. 

Patel, who has long been known as the "backroom boy" of the Congress, had been at the centre of attention in political circles in the recent weeks in view of the crucial Rajya Sabha polls . Though, elections for the Upper House are generally peaceful, but due to in-fighting and rebellion by a section of Congress leaders in Gujarat, the elections this time had put Patel's prestige on stake.

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Patel, who has been the political secretary of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, is a key figure in Gujarat as he is one of the only two Muslims to have been elected from the Lok Sabha in Gujarat. The other Muslim MP who was elected to Lok Sabha was late Ehsan Jafri, who was killed in the 2002 Gujarat riots.

As a prominent member of the 'old guard' of the party, Patel has remained a constant and dedicated member of Congress. Patel had even threatened to retire from public life when PM Narendra Modi referred to him as a close "friend" in one of his speeches.

Patel was first elected to Lok Sabha when the anti-Congress wave swept India in the 1977 General Elections. Patel was just 26-years-old then. He went on to win the next two Lok Sabha elections from Bharuch.

Patel, who is well known for his organisational skills, is seen as a low-profile but highly influential leader of the Congress party. ‘Ahmedbhai’, as he is called endearingly, has never aspired for ministerial positions. During the early 80s, Patel became very close to Rajiv Gandhi who was then being groomed for a larger role in national politics.

With Rajiv Gandhi's elevation as Prime Minister following the assassination of then Prime Minister and his mother Indira Gandhi, Patel promoted to the post of Congress joint secretary. He was later made the parliamentary secretary of the Prime Minister and then the General Secretary of Congress.

After Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination in 1991, Patel retained his influence. He was elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha for the first time in 1993 and served as the treasurer of All India Congress Committee from 1996 to 2000.

Patel also became the secretary of the Congress 'think-tank' Jawahar Bhavan Trust, a brainchild of Rajiv Gandhi that was backed by Sonia Gandhi. During this period, Patel's proximity with Sonia Gandhi grew. Interestingly, Sonia Gandhi had taken ovr the reins of the party in the late 90s and she eventually appointed Patel as her Political Secretary.

Patel, a seasoned politician, has also served in several positions within committees of many ministries such as Petroleum and Chemicals, Aviation, Human Resource Development ministry during the Congress’s tenure at the Centre.

A defeat in Gujarat could have spelt more trouble for the Congress, but Patel's victory has given a much-needed boost to the party.