Faisal Patel Breaks Silence: Praises Modi Government, Cites Internal Struggles in Congress for His Disenchantment

Faisal Patel, son of the late Congress veteran and political strategist Ahmed Patel, has once again made headlines—this time for his rare words of praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government’s recent handling of national security issues.

While reaffirming his loyalty to the Congress, Faisal offered a candid glimpse into the reasons behind his gradual withdrawal from active politics, revealing a mix of personal disappointment and frustration with the party’s internal functioning, which his father had served for decades.

Ahmed Patel, remembered as one of the Congress party’s most trusted troubleshooters and Sonia Gandhi’s key political advisor during the UPA era, was a towering figure in Indian politics.

Representing Gujarat’s Bharuch constituency in the Lok Sabha thrice and serving in the Rajya Sabha for nearly 30 years, he played a pivotal role in shaping the party’s strategy at the national level.

His untimely death due to Covid-19 in 2020 left a leadership vacuum—not only in the Congress but also in Bharuch, the constituency he nurtured like a family.

For Faisal Patel, politics was both an inheritance and a responsibility. Inspired by his father’s lifelong dedication, he hoped to carry forward the legacy. However, his journey was marked by what he describes as repeated denials and missed opportunities.

In the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress, as part of a poll understanding with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), decided not to field a candidate in Bharuch—much to the dismay of both Faisal and his sister Mumtaz.

For the family, this was not just a political decision but a symbolic abandonment of their father’s stronghold. The eventual outcome—AAP’s defeat to the BJP, which has held Bharuch since 1989—only deepened the sting.

Earlier this year, Faisal publicly expressed his disillusionment. In a heartfelt post on X, he wrote:
“My late father, Ahmed Patel, gave his entire life working for the country, party & the Gandhi family.

I tried to follow in 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.”

In his latest remarks, Faisal clarified that his discontent is not with the Congress as an institution but with the environment that has made his participation unfruitful.

“The whole party is my family, and I have good relations with senior leaders. I have not left Congress—I have just taken a sabbatical from public life. The people of Gujarat and local leaders have wonderful things to say about me,” he stated.

However, Faisal did not shy away from acknowledging what he sees as the party’s shortcomings. While praising Congress leaders such as Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor, DK Shivakumar, Revanth Reddy, Deepender Hooda, and Sachin Pilot as intelligent and capable, he hinted that poor strategic advice to the senior leadership is holding the party back.

“There are problems internally, and I believe the seniors running the party are not given the right piece of advice. Their advisors are not doing a good job,” he said—an implicit criticism of the inner circle’s decision-making process.

In a surprising twist, Faisal lauded the Modi government’s handling of recent crises, citing the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. “It can’t be better than who’s running the show. The armed forces have done a great job, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed great leadership and brought us out of a huge crisis.

I am proud of our armed forces. I have a lot of respect for (External Affairs Minister S) Jaishankar. How Modiji picks up bureaucrats, makes them leaders, and puts them in ministerial roles is a very good thing,” he remarked.

For many political observers, Faisal’s comments reflect a generational and strategic disconnect between the Congress leadership and its emerging voices.

While he maintains his loyalty to the party, his candid praise for Modi and critique of Congress’s advisory structure underscore a larger debate about adaptability, leadership style, and the role of young leaders in reviving the Grand Old Party.

If Faisal Patel’s political sabbatical becomes permanent, it would mark not just the loss of a prominent name but also the fading of a legacy deeply intertwined with Congress’s modern history.

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