Faisal Patel, son of Sonia Gandhi's trusted aide Ahmed Patel, praises PM Modi and Amit Shah, calls them ‘great leaders'
Faisal Patel, son of late Congress veteran Ahmed Patel, on Tuesday commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership during Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror bases in Pakistan following the Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 civilians. Speaking to ANI, Patel said, "It can't be better than who's running the show (the central government) ... The armed forces have done a great job, and PM Narendra Modi showed great leadership and brought us out of a huge crisis." His comments came amid ongoing criticism from the Congress party against the BJP-led government over the handling of the operation.
"I am proud of our armed forces. I have a lot of respect for Jaishankar ji. How Modi ji picks up bureaucrats and makes them leaders and puts them in Ministry roles, is a very good thing," he added.
In an exclusive interview with CNN-News18, Faisal called PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah 'great leaders' and affirmed that 'the country is in safe hands.'
The significance of Faisal Patel's statement is magnified by the legacy of his father. Ahmed Patel was not just a leader but was revered as a trusted strategist and 'troubleshooter" for the Congress high command. Often referred to as Sonia Gandhi's 'right hand", he was a quiet yet influential player in Delhi politics, and no major party decision—from organisational reshuffles to electoral ticket distribution—was made without his counsel. His robust network and strategic acumen made him one of the most effective behind-the-scenes figures in the party. Faisal Patel, who said he remains a member of the Congress, reflected on the party's internal challenges. He suggested that senior Congress leaders are not receiving the right advice. "Rahul Gandhi is a hardworking leader. There are some very bright and intelligent leaders in the Congress, like Shashi Tharoor, DK Shivakumar, Revanth Reddy, Deependra Hooda, and Sachin Pilot... There are problems internally, and I believe the right advice is not given to seniors who are running the party," he said. Patel clarified that he has not left Congress, but is on a sabbatical from public life. "I am not upset with the Congress at all. The whole party is my family... I just exist in Congress... The people of Gujarat and the local leaders have wonderful things to say about me," he said.
He concluded by expressing faith in the country's leadership and security apparatus. "Our country is in safe hands because of our Armed Forces. I feel that the leaders who are running the country right now—Narendra Modi, Dr S Jaishankar, Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, and Sudhanshu Trivedi—are working hard. We have our problems like inflation, unemployment, and others, but they are doing a good job," he said.
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