It is strange that the first 20 years of Patel’s political career, which saw him outwitting many Congress veterans of the time, freeing himself from the restrictive tag of just another Gujarati leader to becoming a formidable power centre in Delhi who was courted and envied by leaders of all political hues equally, is rarely discussed. But then, Patel never seemed to have any problems with this. It’s the latter half of his career – one that saw him becoming Sonia’s go-to man for every problem, the main troubleshooter and formidable negotiator for the Congress party that Patel will be remembered for. And in a time when even political whippersnappers and veterans alike stand out for their lust for posts and recognition, Patel stood out for his detached attachment to power. During the 10-year rule of the UPA, Patel could have leveraged his position as Sonia’s closest aide to get any ministerial position but he stayed out of government – apparently despite repeated offers of a cabinet position. Though the media, especially reporters on the Congress beat, constantly sought him out for bytes or to get off-record confirmation for various machinations within the Congress, Patel never showed any inclination for personal publicity.