Three days after the death of veteran Congress leader Ahmed Patel, party chief Sonia Gandhi on Saturday gave the role of party's treasurer to former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal.

"Congress President has assigned the additional responsibility of party treasurer to Bansal, in-charge Administration, as an interim measure to look after the duties of treasurer with immediate effect," General Secretary K.C. Venugopal said in a statement.

Pawan Kumar Bansal
The Union Minister for Railways, Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal along with the Minister of State for Railways, Shri K.J. Surya Prakash Reddy arriving at Parliament House to present the Rail Budget 2013-14, in New Delhi on February 26, 2013.PIB

Ahmed Patel's sad demise

The funeral of Congress veteran, Ahmed Patel, who died on Wednesday morning, was held  on Thursday at 10 am in his native village Piraman. Former All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Rahul Gandhi will be present at the funeral, along with many leading Congress leaders.

The 71-year-old Congress veteran will be laid to rest at his native village in Bharuch district. It was Patel's wish to be buried alongside his parents' graves at Piraman village. Patel's mortal remains were flown to the Vadodara airport on Wednesday evening from where they were taken to Piraman village. Most of the top Gujarat Congress leaders were present at the airport to receive the remains.