In Ahmed Patel’s demise, Congress loses a chief strategist

Ahmed Patel, political adviser to Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi, and Member of Parliament from Rajya Sabha, died due to post-COVID-19 complications on November 25.

“I have lost a colleague, whose entire life was dedicated to the Congress party", Sonia Gandhi said in a statement released to the press. Offering his condolences Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, "his [Patel’s] role in strengthening the Congress Party would always be remembered".

Ahmed bhai, as he was called in local circles and among party workers, was the backroom strategist and ‘sankat mochan’ of the grand old party. He was a fierce Gandhi loyalist.

He enjoyed good relations with leaders across the political spectrum. His close ties with the top industrialists helped the Congress raise resources for elections and party organisational work.

During the two terms of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre, Patel acted as the bridge between then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government and the party, as well as the link between the Congress and its allies. For many people he was the go-to man in the Congress; his direct access to Gandhi was attributed as a reason for this.

In his last electoral battle in 2017, Ahmed bhai got the better of then Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah despite a rebellion in the Congress, and won the mother of all Rajya Sabha elections. Patel’s political acumen was evident when a BJP MLA cross-voted, thereby giving Patel the edge.

With Congress leader Rahul Gandhi assuming office at the top, his influence diminished due to a clash between the old and the new guard. However, Rahul Gandhi acknowledged his indispensability when Patel was made the party treasurer in 2018.

After Sonia Gandhi’s return as interim president, Patel was back in action and played a key role in convincing her about the pact with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. It was an unthinkable coup of sorts.

His death comes at a time when Gandhis are facing rebellion in the party, allies are blaming the Congress for loss in Bihar, and BJP’s ‘Congress-mukt Bharat’ project hasn’t lost steam. Congress is facing an existential crisis. In state-after-state, the BJP has now taken over from the Congress and is lodged in a direct contest with regional parties.

The party will miss the manoeuvring skills of Ahmed bhai in forging new/out-of-the-box alliances and quelling voices within some regional forces that an alliance with the Congress could spoil their chances, as was seen in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. His rapport with regional satraps to convince them that the Congress is still relevant and main challenger to the BJP at national level, will be sorely missed.

At a time when BJP is cornering a majority of the electoral funding, through bonds or otherwise, the party will miss the negotiation traits of Ahmed bhai who developed personal relationships with top honchos of the corporate world in his 45 year political career.

He was an organisation man and acted as the eyes and ears of the Gandhi family. His tactical moves prevented many splits/doused rebellion in state units of the Congress. He also shielded the Gandhis from attacks within the party, and at the same time provided unbiased feedback to the Gandhis.

Now after the demise of Patel, calls for leadership change and that the Gandhis be removed will gather momentum. It will not be a surprise if the grand old party sees fissures as was seen in the 1990s. On the bright side, Patel’s demise might force the party leadership to consider further democratising institutions within the party, and provide a conducive environment for honest debate and discussions.

The way politics is done and elections are fought has changed in the Modi era, and the grand old party has a lot of catching up to do. Ahmed Patel’s demise will make it all the more daunting for the Congress.

Amitabh Tiwari is a former corporate and investment banker-turned political strategist and commentator. Twitter: @politicalbaaba. Views are personal.