▁t ies ▁with ▁A . D . ▁Pat el ▁and ▁rose ▁to ▁prom in ence ▁as ▁the ▁sugar ▁can e ▁dispute ▁continued . ▁He ▁also ▁involved ▁himself ▁with ▁other ▁industrial ▁disput es ▁in ▁F iji ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁by ▁def ending ▁union ▁leaders ▁involved ▁in ▁strik es . ▁ ▁Legisl ative ▁Council ▁E lections ▁ ▁The ▁Federation ▁Committee ▁cont ested ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁under ▁the ▁b anner ▁of ▁the ▁Cit iz ens ▁Federation . ▁Its ▁three ▁candidates , ▁in ▁the ▁sugar ▁can e ▁growing ▁areas , ▁were ▁A . D . ▁Pat el , ▁James ▁Mad hav an , ▁and ▁Ko ya ▁himself . ▁All ▁three ▁Cit iz ens ▁Federation ▁candidates ▁were ▁elected . ▁Ko ya ▁narrow ly ▁defeated ▁James ▁Sh ank ar ▁Singh ▁of ▁Ba ▁by ▁ 3 9 9 8 ▁votes ▁to ▁ 3 4 8 0 ▁votes , ▁making ▁him ▁the ▁first ▁Muslim ▁to ▁be ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Legisl ative ▁Council . ▁Ko ya ▁was ▁responsible ▁for ▁draft ing ▁the ▁constitution ▁of ▁the ▁Federation ▁Party ▁which ▁came ▁into ▁existence ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁June ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁making ▁it ▁the ▁first ▁political ▁party ▁in ▁F iji . ▁He ▁easily ▁retained ▁his ▁seat ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁general ▁election ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁by - e lection . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁ ▁Party ▁Le ader ▁and ▁towards ▁Independ ence ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁A . D . ▁Pat el ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9