Ahmed Patel's family has a message for Kejriwal as Bharuch goes to AAP quota

Mumtaz Patel, the daughter of late Congress leader Ahmed Patel, expressed disappointment over the recent seat-sharing arrangement between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the upcoming parliamentary polls in Gujarat. The discontent stems from the Bharuch seat, a traditional stronghold for the Congress, slipping into the hands of AAP.

The Congress and AAP sealed a seat-sharing deal for several states, including Gujarat, as they aim to present a united front against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP has retained the Bharuch seat for seven consecutive terms, making it a crucial battleground for the opposition parties. 

Speculations had been rife for months that either Faisal Patel or Mumtaz Patel, children of Ahmed Patel, would be fielded by the Congress to challenge the BJP's dominance.

In a social media post on X, Mumtaz Patel expressed disappointment over the alliance's decision and called on the party workers to regroup.

“Deeply apologize to Our district cadre for not being able to secure the Bharuch Lok Sabha seat in alliance. I share your disappointment. Together, we will regroup to make @INCIndia stronger. We won’t let @ahmedpatel 45 years of Legacy go in vain,” she said.

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While Mumtaz’s brother Faisal Patel called the INDIA bloc “very important for the democracy”, he said the opposition would win the Bharuch seat only if Congress contested from there.

“I want to say this to (Delhi CM and AAP chief) Arvind Kejriwal that we (INDIA alliance) can win this seat only if the Congress contests from here. This is only after looking at the winnability criteria,” he said in a post on X.

The seat-sharing arrangement has not only disappointed Mumtaz Patel and the Congress's district cadre but has also raised eyebrows within the party.

The AAP will now contest from Bharuch and Bhavnagar in Gujarat.