Sonia Gandhi adviser Ahmed Patel "fears" taking over Gujarat Congress' reins for poll battle with BJP in December

By A Representative
Congress veteran Ahmed Patel may be fuming over the manner in which BJP chief Amit Shah almost snatched away his Rajya Sabha seat by ensuring that 14 of the party's 57 MLAs in the Gujarat state assembly "crossed over" against him. However, two of his recent media interviews suggest that, despite his "clout" in the Congress, he has not been able to overcome his long-standing fear in taking up the reins of the party.
Patel, 67, who hails from the South Gujarat district of Bharuch, may declare that he would "personally" take care of the 43 MLAs who voted for him in the crucial Rajya Sabha elections and see to it they are victorious in the state assembly polls scheduled in December. He may also boast that he would "ensure" Congress victory on 125 assembly seats out of 182.
But to the question as to how is he going to achieve the twin electoral "objectives", he does not seem clear. In one interview, on being asked whether he would take the active charge of the Gujarat Congress and lead from the front, given that he has set the party rank and file a target of 125 seats (in a House of 182), he says an emphatic "No", adding, at best he would be a "facilitator". In another interview, all that he says is, he would "come to Gujarat at least four times a month" to "teach BJP a lesson."
"I will keep a much closer watch and do my best possible to meet this target. I am not for Chief Ministership, if you are suggesting even something remotely like that", he tells in an answer to a probing question," he asserts. And how would he "channelise" energy into the party "since every leader in the Congress seems to be a Chief Ministerial candidate", Patel, who is considered a "key party strategist", admits: "This is a big challenge for us."
Patel has been fearing an electoral battle ever since he was defeated in 1989 by a BJP non-entity by 11,500 votes from a Lok Sabha constituency he represented thrice after 1977, Bharuch. He has refused to fight an electoral battle after 1989. Whoever asked him, informally, as to why he didn't want to fight polls, he had just one answer: It is impossible for a Muslim to win a poll in a state which is so badly communally divided.

On being asked whether he would take the active charge of the Gujarat Congress and lead from the front, Ahmed Patel replied in an emphatic "No", adding, at best he would be a "facilitator"

One who has preferred ever since to be in the Rajya Sabha, where all you need is a committed, fixed number of MLAs, guided by party whip, to vote for you, he has feared taking up the reins of the party, too. In an informal chat with way back in 1998, when asked why does he not take the charge as Gujarat Congress president, Patel repeated the argument he would "informally" give about fighting an electoral battle: That being a Muslim as Congress president would work "negatively" on the party's electoral prospects.
Meanwhile, Patel, who is better known as political adviser of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, has begun to admit that his party is in disarray. However, all that he says to set things right following the latest crisis which nearly took away his Rajya Sabha seat is: "We will need to be careful in future, keep a close watch and look into individual grievances of party leaders and MLAs." At the same time, he brushes aside the view of Jairam Ramesh that the Congress was facing an existential crisis as a "personal observation."
Asked why of all persons the Congress leader of opposition in the state assembly Shankarsinh Vaghela resigned and didn't vote for him, he just said, there is "no justification for stabbing the party in the back like this", though sounding somewhat remorseful: "We will look into the details and the genuineness of the grievances for sure". But he adds, "We learnt bitter lessons... This entire episode (of sabotage) has automatically led to purging of people whom we could not trust."
So, was it a good riddance of bad rubbish?, he is asked. And his reply is: "No, no, no, don't use such words; not bad rubbish, but those who were not the party's well-wishers have left." Patel admits, "All our people, the entire party was made to feel completely helpless by the enemies very much within us," even as suggesting thar despite the disarray, there is a "will to win alone".

Comments

From snowstorms to heatwaves: India’s alarming climate shift in 2025

By Dr. Gurinder Kaur* Climate change is no longer a future concern—it is visibly affecting every country today. Since the beginning of 2025, its effects on India have become starkly evident. These include unseasonal snowfall in hill states, the early onset of heatwaves in southern regions, a shortening spring season, and unusually early and heavy rainfall, among other phenomena.

'Incoherent, dogmatic': Near collapse of international communist movement

By Harsh Thakor* The international communist movement today lacks coherence or organizational unity. Many groups worldwide identify as communist, Marxist-Leninist, or Maoist, but most promote dogmatism, reformism, or capitulation, using revolutionary rhetoric. Some trace their origins to historical betrayals, like Trotsky’s efforts to undermine the Soviet socialist transition or the 1976 coup in China that restored a bourgeoisie under Deng Xiaoping. Others focus on online posturing rather than mass engagement. Small communist organizations exist in places like Turkey, South Asia, and the Philippines, where Maoist-led struggles continue. No international forum unites them, and no entity can forge one.

Priced out of life: The silent crisis in India's healthcare... who pays attention, and who takes responsibility?

By Aysha* Manisha (name changed) has been living with a disease since the birth of her third child—over ten years now—in the New Seemapuri area of North East Delhi. She visited GTB Hospital, where a doctor told her that treatment would cost ₹50,000, as the hospital would charge for the cost of an instrument that needs to be implanted in her body. Several NGOs have visited her home, yet she has received no support for treatment and continues to live with the illness. Manisha is divorced, without access to ration or pension, and lives with her three children by begging outside a temple.

Madhya Pradesh village's inspiring example of how small budget effort conserves water amidst heat wave

By Bharat Dogra Heat waves have been intensifying over vast areas of India in recent days and there are also many reports of water scarcity making the conditions worse for people. However the situation can differ significantly in various villages depending on whether or not significant water conservation efforts have been made. In recent years I have visited several villages of good water conservation efforts where I noticed that even at the time of adverse weather conditions, people of these villages as well as farm and other animals feel important relief in terms of access to adequate water. Due to water and moisture conservation, conditions of farms and pastures is also much better. What is more, with the participation and involvement of people, even quite low budgets have been utilized well to achieve very useful and durable results.

Population explosion: India needs a clear-headed policy, data-driven governance, long-term planning

By N.S. Venkataraman* At the upcoming G7 summit in Canada, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited as a special guest, with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau citing two main reasons: India’s rise as the world’s fifth-largest economy and its status as the most populous nation. While economic growth is undoubtedly a point of pride, the latter distinction—India’s population—raises an important question: should this be seen as a strength or a source of growing concern? India has not conducted a national census since 2011, leaving the current population figures largely speculative. Estimates place the population at around 1.4 billion, with projections reaching 1.8 billion by 2050. Despite modest declines in fertility and death rates, the annual population growth remains between 1.5% and 2%. The next census, scheduled for 2026, will provide a more accurate demographic picture, but until then, policymaking remains uninformed by crucial data. Over the past eleven years, the gov...

Victim to cricketing politics, Alvin Kalicharan was a most organized left handed batsman

By Harsh Thakor* On March 21st Alvin Kalicharan celebrates his 75th birthday. Sadly, his exploits have been forgotten or overlooked. Arguably no left handed batsman was technically sounder or more organized than this little man. Kalicharan was classed as a left-handed version of Rohan Kanhai. Possibly no left-handed batsmen to such a degree blend technical perfection with artistry and power.

Vishwamitri river revival? New report urges action on pollution, flood risks, wildlife protection

By A Representative The Vishwamitri Committee, formed by the Gujarat State Human Rights Commission, has submitted two supplementary reports on June 5, 2025, detailing efforts to rejuvenate the Vishwamitri River in Vadodara, considered Gujarat's cultural capital. The reports (click here and here ) respond to directives from a May 26, 2025, GSHRC hearing. Comprising environmentalists, urban planners, and zoologists like Neha Sarwate, Rohit Prajapati, Dr. Ranjitsinh Devkar, Dr. Jitendra Gavali, and Mitesh Panchal, the committee focuses on mitigating pollution, stabilizing riverbanks, managing flood risks, and preserving biodiversity, particularly for crocodiles and turtles.

Mumbai jetty project: Is Colaba residential associations' outrage manufactured?

By Gajanan Khergamker When the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) filed an affidavit before the Bombay High Court defending its long-planned public jetty project, it did more than just respond to a writ petition by a Colaba Residents Association. It exposed, albeit inadvertently, a far more corrosive phenomenon festering beneath the surface of urban civil life across India—a phenomenon where residential associations, many unregistered and some self-professed custodians of ‘public sentiment,’ conspire to stall governance under the veil of representation.

Central London discussion to spotlight LGBTQ+ ex-Muslim rights and persecution

By A Representative On June 13, 2025, the Dissident Club in Central London will host a public discussion to mark the 18th anniversary of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) and to commemorate World Refugee Day. The event, scheduled from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, will feature speakers Ali Malik, Maryam Namazie, and Taha Siddiqui, who are expected to address the intersecting challenges faced by LGBTQ+ ex-Muslims globally.

Search This Blog