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Ahmed Patel’s victory in RS polls should call for introspection, not celebration in the Congress

Published

9 years ago

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Ahmed Patel

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In a nail-biting finish to the Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat, Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi secured 44 votes to win his seat for the fifth term, saving himself and more importantly his boss much embarrassment. But, the election once again exposed how unprepared the Congress leadership is to tackle the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah juggernaut

After a roller-coaster Rajya Sabha election – the likes of which has never been seen in the past – senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel was declared elected to the Upper House of Parliament at around 3 am, on Wednesday, along with the other expected victors – BJP national president Amit Shah and Union textile minister Smriti Irani.

Amit Shah and Smriti Irani

Shah and Irani, whose victory in the election was a foregone conclusion, secured 46 votes each. Patel – who was touted to lose after a series of defections and resignations hit the Congress Legislative Party over the past fortnight – secured 44 votes, just as many as were required for him to win after his party’s appeal to the Election Commission to disqualify two of its legislators for violating polling rules was upheld, thereby reducing the number of votes required by a candidate to be elected to 44 instead of 45. The BJP’s third candidate, Balwantsinh Rajput, who had quit the Congress 10 days back to join the saffron brigade and become its candidate against Patel, secured just 38 votes.

At the face of it, Rajput’s defeat comes as an embarrassment for Amit Shah and the BJP. A close relative of former Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela – who resigned from the party recently and voted against Patel in Tuesday’s election – Rajput, sources say, had been fielded in the RS race at the behest of Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, both of whom have left amply displayed their unwillingness to cede even an inch of political space for the Congress party.

Sonia Gandhi and Ahmad Patel

Similarly, for the Congress party in general and its president Sonia Gandhi in particular, the victory of Patel comes as a huge relief at a time when the Grand Old Party is, in the words of its senior leader Jairam Ramesh, facing an “existential crisis”. Had Patel lost, the morale of his party’s workers in Gujarat, which goes for Assembly elections in five months, would have fallen further.

More importantly, the defeat would have possibly triggered more Jairams to openly call for a “new Congress” (read: one aligned more with the party’s face of defeat – Rahul Gandhi – than with the old guard that stands firmly behind Sonia while still trying to understand her son’s gameplan, if at all there is one). And here lies the problem with Patel’s victory.

Rajput’s defeat is only a temporary setback to the Modi-Shah duo. In the run up to the RS polls, the BJP has displayed that it’s willing to go for the Congress’ jugular. The BJP turned an otherwise mundane Rajya Sabha election into a battle royale between Shah and Sonia, with the former banking on his skills that go beyond routine politics while the latter was busy fighting off an implosion within her party’s ranks and was underprepared to pre-empt the moves of her rival.

Even in Patel’s victory, the signs for the Congress are ominous. The Congress, till two weeks ago, had 57 MLAs in the Gujarat assembly – of which only 45 needed to vote for Patel to ensure that his return to the Rajya Sabha for a record fifth-term was a cake walk. But then things began to deteriorate for the already beleaguered Congress at a break-neck speed.

First, Shankersinh Vaghela, who the party had imported from the BJP two decades ago, engineered cross-voting by 11 Congress legislators in the Presidential polls and then soon after announced his decision to quit the party while making it abundantly clear that all was not well for the Congress in Gujarat. Next came the resignation of six Congress MLAs, three of whom, including Balwantsinh Rajput, joined the BJP almost immediately. While the BJP promptly pitted Rajput against Patel in the RS polls, other Congress MLAs began indicating openly that Patel would lose, forcing the Congress to pack off 44 of its MLAs to a resort in Bengaluru in an attempt to fend off more “poaching” by the BJP.

A series of questionable IT raids followed at the Bengaluru resort where the 44 Congress MLAs were staying and at the residential and office premises of their host and Karnataka cabinet minister DK Shivakumar. While the Congress continued to cry foul about the BJP’s “dirty tricks department”, Amit Shah expectedly stayed focused on the RS battle.

Finally, on Tuesday, as votes were cast – while Vaghela openly voted against Patel (despite earlier saying that he had good relations with him and would vote for him), two other Congress MLAs, Bhola Bhai Gohil and Raghav Bhai Patel, who had returned the previous day from their luxurious Bengaluru sojourn sponsored by Shivakumar, voted for Rajput, sending the Congress into panic mode.

Congress delegation

The Congress and BJP both dispatched high powered delegations to the Election Commission in New Delhi – twice in a matter of less than 12 hours – with the former seeking disqualification of Bhola Bhai and Raghav Bhai – and the latter insisting that they hadn’t broken any polling rules and so their votes – cast in favour of BJP nominee Rajput – should be held valid. In a midnight decision, the EC, ruled in favour of the Congress. Three hours later Patel was declared elected and exclaimed ‘Satyamev Jayate’ while his party colleagues immediately burst into celebratory mood while taunting the BJP at its defeat.

But then, the Congress had 47 MLAs after excluding Vaghela, the six others who resigned and the two who were disqualified and Patel should have ideally secured all their votes. He got 44 – which by all indications also includes votes cast by lone JD (U) legislator in Gujarat, Chhotubhai Vasava, NCP MLA Jayant Patel and rebel BJP leader Nalin Kotadiya, who voted against his party candidate since he is upset with the state government for its handling of the Patidar-Patel agitation.

This means that out of its original lot of 57 MLA, the Congress now has been reduced to just 41 legislators. With Gujarat going to polls in December, it’s time that the party begins to re-build its cadre and regain lost ground in a state which till few months ago showed heavy signs of anti-incumbency for the first time in nearly 15 years. Celebrations for Ahmed Patel’s victory can wait.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Amit Shah counters delimitation concerns, says southern states to gain Lok Sabha seats

Amit Shah assures Parliament that southern states will gain Lok Sabha seats after delimitation, countering opposition criticism during the women’s reservation debate.

Published

3 hours ago

on

April 16, 2026

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Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday addressed concerns over the proposed delimitation exercise, asserting in the Lok Sabha that southern states will not lose representation but instead see an increase in their number of seats.

His remarks came during a heated debate linked to the implementation of women’s reservation, where opposition parties have raised fears that population-based delimitation could reduce the political weight of southern states.

Shah rejected these claims, calling them misleading, and said the proposed framework ensures fairness while expanding the overall strength of the Lok Sabha.

Seat count to rise with expansion of Lok Sabha

The government has indicated that the total number of Lok Sabha seats could increase significantly as part of the delimitation process. In this expanded House, the combined representation of southern states is expected to rise from 129 seats at present to around 195 seats.

Shah emphasised that no state will lose seats in absolute terms, and the exercise is designed to reflect population changes while maintaining balance across regions.

State-wise projections shared in Parliament

During his address, Shah also provided indicative figures for individual southern states, suggesting notable increases in representation. According to the projections:

  • Tamil Nadu could see its seats rise substantially
  • Kerala, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh are also expected to gain additional seats
  • Karnataka’s representation may increase as well

These figures were presented to counter the argument that delimitation would disproportionately favour northern states.

Political debate intensifies over linkage with women’s quota

The delimitation exercise has been closely linked to the rollout of women’s reservation, which proposes one-third seats for women in Parliament and state assemblies.

Opposition leaders have questioned this linkage, arguing that tying reservation to delimitation could delay its implementation and raise federal concerns. Some leaders have also warned that the move could impact national unity if apprehensions among states are not addressed.

The government, however, maintains that the reforms are necessary to ensure equitable representation and to align the electoral system with demographic realities.

Centre dismisses ‘false narrative’ on southern states

Shah reiterated that concerns about southern states losing influence are unfounded. He said the delimitation process will increase representation across regions and described the criticism as a “false narrative” aimed at creating confusion.

The issue is expected to remain a key flashpoint as Parliament continues discussions on the women’s reservation framework and related legislative changes.

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PM Modi assures no discrimination in women’s quota, delimitation debate intensifies in Parliament

PM Narendra Modi has assured that women’s reservation will be implemented without discrimination, amid a heated debate over delimitation in Parliament.

Published

10 hours ago

on

April 16, 2026

By

PM modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured that there will be no discrimination in the implementation of women’s reservation, as Parliament witnessed a sharp debate over the proposed linkage between the quota and delimitation exercise.

During the ongoing special session, the government reiterated its commitment to ensuring fair representation while addressing concerns raised by opposition parties regarding the timing and structure of the legislation.

The proposed framework aims to reserve 33 percent of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. However, its implementation is tied to a fresh delimitation exercise, which is expected after the next census.

Opposition questions timing and intent

Opposition leaders have raised concerns that linking the women’s quota to delimitation could delay its implementation. They argue that the process of redrawing constituencies may push the actual rollout further into the future.

The issue has triggered a broader political confrontation, with multiple parties questioning whether the move could alter representation across states.

Some critics have also alleged that the delimitation exercise could disproportionately benefit certain regions based on population, a charge the government has rejected.

Government reiterates commitment to fair implementation

Responding to these concerns, the Centre has maintained that the reforms are necessary to ensure accurate and updated representation based on population data.

Leaders from the ruling side have repeatedly emphasized that the process will be carried out transparently and without bias. The assurance that there will be “no discrimination” is aimed at addressing fears among states and opposition parties.

The debate marks a key moment in Parliament, with both sides engaging in intense exchanges over one of the most significant electoral reforms in recent years.

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Give all tickets to Muslim women, Amit Shah says, attacking Akhilesh Yadav on sub-quota demand

A sharp exchange between Amit Shah and Akhilesh Yadav in Parliament over sub-quota for Muslim women highlights key divisions on women’s reservation implementation.

Published

12 hours ago

on

April 16, 2026

By

A heated exchange broke out in Parliament during discussions on the women’s reservation framework, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav locking horns over the demand for a sub-quota for Muslim women.

The debate unfolded as the government pushed forward key legislative measures to implement 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

Akhilesh Yadav argued that the proposed reservation must ensure representation for women from marginalised communities, including Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Muslim women. He said that without such provisions, large sections could remain excluded from political participation.

He also questioned the timing of the bill, alleging that the Centre was avoiding a caste census. According to him, a census would lead to renewed demands for caste-based reservations, which the government is reluctant to address.

Government rejects religion-based quota

Responding to the demand, Amit Shah made it clear that reservation based on religion is not permitted under the Constitution.

He stated that any proposal to provide quota to Muslims on religious grounds would be unconstitutional, firmly rejecting the idea of a separate sub-quota for Muslim women within the broader reservation framework.

The government has maintained that the existing framework already includes provisions for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) women within the overall reservation structure.

Wider political divide over implementation

The issue of sub-categorisation within the women’s quota has emerged as a major flashpoint, even as most opposition parties broadly support the idea of women’s reservation.

Samajwadi Party leaders reiterated that their support for the bill depends on inclusion of OBC and minority women, while the government continues to defend its constitutional position.

The debate is part of a broader discussion during the special Parliament session, where multiple bills linked to delimitation and implementation of the women’s quota are being taken up.

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