If one is to believe Gujarat Congress grapevine, Congress MP and power centre Ahmed Patel’s 28-year-old son Faisal is being seriously considered for Bharuch Lok Sabha seat.
Is it time for yet another son-rise in Gujarat Congress? If one is to believe Gujarat Congress grapevine, Congress MP and power centre Ahmed Patel’s 28-year-old son Faisal is being seriously considered for Bharuch Lok Sabha seat in the coming general elections.
While senior Congress leaders refused to confirm and Ahmed Patel was unreachable for comments despite repeated messages and attempts, reliable sources in the party claim that district units of the party have strongly demanded for Ahmed Patel as the candidate from the seat, and in his absence, his son Faisal.
Sources claim Faisal is a very low-profile person, who has studied MBA from a foreign university. The young lad has been strictly kept away from politics all these years, but this year may mark his debut under Rahul Gandhi’s youth agenda.
“Workers of Narmada and Bharuch district committees have passed a unanimous resolution that they want only Ahmed Patel as the candidate, and refuse to suggest other candidatures,” the source.
Interestingly, Faisal’s name was suggested by party workers as an option to Ahmed’s when observer Sulaj Khatri visited the area, but Faisal’s name does not figure in the minutes. Congress spokesperson in Vadodara, Nazubhai Fadawala, said: “When the observer called a meet of senior Congress members at Bharuch, majority of the workers, including the senior leaders, suggested the name of Ahmed Patel. The observer replied that the message will be conveyed to Sonia Gandhi.
“GPCC president Siddharth Patel denied the speculations. “He (Patel Sr) is deeply involved with national politics. If he is fielded from Bharuch, he will be tied down here, which the INC cannot afford at this point. Workers in Bharuch demand for Patel’s candidature every elections, but even his son’s name doesn’t sound feasible. He is not at all involved in politics,” he said.
Sitting Bharuch MP is BJP’s Mansukh Vasava. But delimitation has changed the dynamics and the seat, Congress feels, is now 21,000 votes positive in their favour. The seat has the highest number of Muslim voters in the state, closely followed by tribals. “Vagra MLA Iqbal Patel is the other potential candidate from the seat,” sources said.
“Three of the five assembly seats under Bharuch have Congress MLAs. The recent patch-up with Chhotu Vasava of Jhagadiya will work in party’s favour. If we don’t make a glaring mistake, Bharuch is a good bet,” a reliable source said.
(with inputs by Maulik Buch)
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