Mumbai: Faisal Patel, the son of the late Congress leader Ahmed Patel, has announced his decision to part ways with the Congress, saying that he tried following his father’s footsteps but “was denied every step of the way”.
The senior Patel, who died of Covid-related complications in 2020, was not just the Congress’ main crisis manager but also former party president Sonia Gandhi’s closest aide.
“With great pain & anguish, I have decided to stop working for INC India. It’s been a tough journey for many, many (sic),” Faisal posted on his social media page on ‘X’ and Facebook.
“My late father Ahmed Patel gave his entire life working for the country, party & the Gandhi family. I tried following his footsteps but was denied every step of the way. I will continue to work for mankind in any way possible. The Congress party will remain my family as It has always been. I want to thank all the Congress leaders, party workers and well wishers who have supported me.”
The 44-year-old Harvard-educated Faisal did not hold any post in the party.
Gujarat Congress spokesperson Sanjay Patwa told ThePrint that though it was Faisal’s personal decision, “he did not take the right call”.
“His father has worked so hard for the party all his life. His sister Mumtaz is still working for the party. So, what he did is not right—though every individual has a right to decide for themselves,” Patwa added.
Faisal’s sister Mumtaz, too, asserted that it was a personal decision. “I am not commenting on his post. That is his choice. I am working for Congress, and I will continue working for it. I campaigned in Delhi, now in by-polls of local bodies in Gujarat. We are loyal to the party and always there for the party,” she told ThePrint.
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Simmering tensions
It is not the first time that Faisal has been miffed with the party. Back in 2022, he had expressed his displeasure over the functioning of the party and how he was exploring other options for his career. “Tired of waiting around. No encouragement from the top brass. Keeping my options open,” Faisal had posted.
Differences had also cropped up in the run up to the 2024 general elections after the Congress allotted Bharuch to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Faisal wanted to contest from the seat, which was represented by Ahmed Patel thrice from 1977 to 1984, and tried to convince the leadership to not cede the seat to the AAP.
Neither of the siblings contested in the Lok Sabha polls. Mansukh Vasava of the BJP went on to retain Bharuch, where he trounced his AAP rival by 85,000-plus votes
An aide of Faisal told ThePrint that he was trying to get a different role in the party, but was not considered.
“There are too many people in the decision making of the party, and it is very frustrating. For many years, people used to come to him to get their work done. He was involved in the ticket distribution as well. But he was not considered for a bigger role,” the aide said, adding that the Gandhis are yet to reach out to Faisal.
In February last year, Faisal had posted photographs featuring him with Rahul Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
Inputs by Prashant Shrivastava
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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