After her top aide Ahmed Patel snatched a close victory in the Rajya Sabha election in Gujarat after midnight, Congress president Sonia Gandhi commented Thank God for the Election Commission.”
Ahmed Patel won by the skin of his teeth after the Election Commission rejected the votes of two congress rebel legislators.
Patel needed 44 votes to win and he got 44 to return to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat for a fifth term.
The election became a massive prestige battle between the Congress and the BJP as both had top leaders staking out at the Election Commission.
“I am happy and relieved with his victory,” Mrs Gandhi said, admitting that there was “so much tension.”
She refused to speak further on Gujarat, where elections are due later this year. “My colleagues in the party have already spoken on this,” said the 70-year-old Congress chief.
