Ahmed Patel new treasurer of Congress: 5 things to know about Sonia's confidant

Ahmed Patel new treasurer of Congress: 5 things to know about Sonia Gandhi's confidant. Photo: File

NEW DELHI: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday appointed Ahmed Patel as the party's treasurer in place of Motilal Vora, who will now be AICC general secretary administration, a newly created post. Patel, who was the political secretary of former party chief Sonia Gandhi, has earlier served the post of treasurer. He has been one of the most powerful functionaries in the party. An organisational man, he had gently turned down offers to join the government at the centre by four prime ministers when the Congress was in power, according to party insiders. Five Things To Know About Ahmed Patel

• A Nehru-Gandhi family loyalist, Patel has represented Gujarat eight times in Parliament — three-time as Lok Sabha member from Bharuch and five-time as Rajya Sabha member. The contest for fifth Rajya Sabha term, however, turned out to be the most challenging for the 67-year-old leader but he managed to win that.
• Patel, a self-made politician, is the son of a social worker. He was born in a small village of Bharuch district in south Gujarat. He cut his teeth in the Youth Congress and went on to become its state president.
• Patel was just 28 when he was chosen to defend the party in the Lok Sabha election from Bharuch by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1977, which he won. He then went on to win two more Lok Sabha elections back-to-back in 1980 and 1984.H
• however, as the Hindutva wave started sweeping Gujarat since the late 1980s, propelling the BJP to the centre stage, Patel found it difficult to win a direct election. He lost the Lok Sabha election in 1990. He took the Rajya Sabha route to Delhi in 1993. He was re-elected to the Upper House of Parliament in 1999, 2005, 2011 and 2017.
• Patel had a key role in running the UPA alliance, as a trusted lieutenant of Sonia Gandhi, during its 10 years in power from 2004 as he managed ties with the allies. He had also served as the Congress’ parliament secretary, treasurer and president of Gujarat unit.

(With PTI inputs)