Veteran Congress leader Ahmed Patel was laid to rest at his native village Piraman in Bharuch district in south Gujarat on Thursday in the presence of senior party leaders and a large number of supporters who had arrived from far-flung areas to pay homage.
The 71-year-old, who was considered a close confidante of the party's interim president Sonia Gandhi, was buried beside his parents' graves at Piraman. "The last rites were performed in accordance with his wish. He was buried beside his mother's grave," said Gujarat Congress' spokesperson Manish Doshi.
Despite coronavirus pandemic, a large number of supporters from various parts of south Gujarat arrived for the last glimpse of Patel who also a Rajya Sabha MP from the state. The last rite was attended by scores of Congress leaders including former president Rahul Gandhi, among others.