One of the most trusted leaders of Congress, great friend of mine: Manmohan Singh on Ahmed Patel

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh condoled the demise of senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Wednesday, saying the party and the country has lost a good leader who always thought for the betterment of the poor and downtrodden.

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh condoled the demise of senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Wednesday, saying the party and the country has lost a good leader who always thought for the betterment of the poor and downtrodden. Patel, who served as the party's back-room strategist for years, died at a Gurgaon hospital in the early hours of Wednesday due to multiple organ failure. He was suffering from complications related to COVID-19.

Singh said he was saddened to hear the shocking news of the untimely death of Patel. "Ahmed Patel ji was one of the most trusted leaders of the Congress Party and a great friend of mine. His passing away is an irreparable loss to the Congress Party. My heartfelt condolences to the members of the bereaved family," he said in a statement.

In a letter expressing his condolences to Patel's wife, Singh said Patel served the Congress party as its treasurer for a long time, and his popularity among the masses is evident from the fact that he got elected thrice as Member of Lok Sabha and five times to the Rajya Sabha. "With his hard work, Patel who started his political career by contesting local body elections in the Bharuch District of Gujarat had grown to become an undisputed leader in the Congress party," the former prime minister said in his letter.

"His knowledge of the affairs of the Congress party was unmatched. In his death, the Congress Party and our country, has lost a very good leader who always thought for the betterment of the poor and downtrodden people of the society," Singh said. Patel was an eight-time parliamentarian -- five times in the Rajya Sabha and three times in the Lok Sabha. His last Rajya Sabha election was contested keenly. He was the Congress treasurer.