Gujarat: Tributes paid to Ahmed Patel on his first death anniversary

Though considered close to Sonia Gandhi, he chose to keep out of the UPA government in the 14th and 15th Lok Sabha. Patel was the only second Muslim after Ehsan Jafri to be elected as a Lok Sabha MP in Gujarat. Till his last, he was a close aide to the Nehru-Gandhi family.

Bharuch:Several Congress leaders including Bharatsinh Solanki and Moulin Vaishnav paid tributes to late Congress leader Ahmed Patel on his first death anniversary in an all-religion prayer meet organized at his native village Piraman. After the prayer meeting, the leaders laid a wreath on his grave.

Ahmed Bhai Mohammedbhai Patel, also known as Ahmed Patel passed away on November 25, last year while he was undergoing treatment at a Gurugram hospital after testing positive for the COVID-19. He breathed his last after multi-organ failure. He was 71.

Patel was born on 21 August 1949 in Bharuch, Bombay now in Gujarat to Mohammed Ishakji Patel and Hawaben Mohammed Bhai. He was an alumnus of Veer Narmad South Gujarat University.

Patel entered the political scene after contesting local body elections in the Bharuch district of Gujarat in 1976. Though considered Sonia Gandhi's chief strategist, he chose to keep out of the UPA government in the 14th and 15th Lok Sabha.

Patel was the only second Muslim after Ehsan Jafri to be elected as a Lok Sabha MP in Gujarat.

Apart from politics, he was a close aide to the Nehru-Gandhi family.

In 1976, Ahmed Patel was married to Memoona Ahmed Patel and has a daughter and a son, Mumtaz Patel and Faisal Patel.

Patel always maintained a low profile and avoided media and public glare.

READ:Ahmed Patel: A staunch pillar of the Congress