Great friend, irreplaceable comrade: Congress leaders remember Ahmed Patel

Senior Congress leaders, including former prime minister Manmohan Singh, party president Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, on Wednesday paid their tributes to veteran party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ahmed Patel, who died earlier in the day. Faisal Patel, Ahmed Patel’s son, announced the death of his father because of multiple organ failure on Twitter. Ahmed Patel had tested positive for Covid-19 a month ago.

Congress party president Sonia Gandhi said that Ahmed Patel was a colleague whose entire life was dedicated to the Congress party. She called him “an irreplaceable comrade, a faithful colleague and a friend” and offered her empathy and support for his grieving family. Dr Manmohan Singh called Ahmed Patel a great friend and a trusted leader of the party and that his passing away is an “irreparable loss to the Congress party.”

“In the shocking demise of Shri. Ahmed Patel ji, the Congress Party has lost one of its strongest pillars & the nation has lost a deeply dedicated leader. With a heavy heart we pay our profound condolences to his family & his followers at this time of grief,” the Congress party tweeted.

Leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad tweeted, “Extremely sad and shocked on the demise of Ahmed bhai. Really no words to express the pain and sorrow. You will always be remembered and cherished in our heart. Rest in peace my brother. #AhmadPatel.”

Rajya Sabha MP and former Union minister KC Venugopal expressed his condolences to the family of Ahmed Patel and remembered him as dedicated and humble. He also said that the party will miss the wise words of Ahmed Patel.

Randeep Singh Surjewala, Congress’ general secretary, expressed his condolences saying that Ahmed Patel was closer to everyone in the party and always considered the party as his family.

निशब्द..

जिन्हें हर छोटा बड़ा, दोस्त, साथी..विरोधी भी...एक ही नाम से सम्मान देते- ‘अहमद भाई’!

वो जिन्होंने सदा निष्ठा व कर्तव्य निभाया,

वो जिन्होंने सदा पार्टी को ही परिवार माना,

वो जिन्होंने सदा राजनीतिक लकीरें मिटा दिलों पर छाप छोड़ी,

अब भी विश्वास नही..
अलविदा "अहमद जी"🙏 pic.twitter.com/NRCwHPNZLl

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) November 25, 2020

Rajya Sabha MP and senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal tweeted that “Congress has lost It’s Northern Star who guided it for long” and fondly remembered his long and steadfast friendship with Ahmed Patel.

Earlier in the day, party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi also expressed their condolences on Twitter to Patel’s family. Rahul Gandhi called him a pillar of the Congress party and a tremendous asset. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had said his passing away has left an immense void and called him a wise and experienced colleague.

Faisal Patel has urged well-wishers to adhere strictly to Covid-19 regulations by avoiding mass gatherings and maintaining social distancing.