New Delhi: On Saturday (April 16), top Congress leaders met at the residence of party president Sonia Gandhi and the meeting is supposed to have lasted for over four hours. Congress leaders discussed the party’s strategy for the upcoming assembly polls and the next general election. What had sent political corridors abuzz was the presence of poll strategist Prashant Kishor, who is learnt to have given them a presentation on the way forward.
According to sources, Congress leaders were learnt to have discussed the party’s strategy for the assembly polls in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh scheduled for later this year and holding the party’s ‘Chintan Shivir’ in Rajasthan this month. The brainstorming session is slated to be held later this month to work out the Congress’ strategy to strengthen the organisation at the grassroots level and suggest changes in the party.
Kishor, who has held several rounds of meetings with the top Congress leadership, is learnt to have given the Congress leaders a presentation for the party’s strategy in upcoming elections, including the induction of Naresh Patel, a Patidar leader in Gujarat. The leaders also discussed the current political situation, sources said. Those who attended the meeting include former party chief Rahul Gandhi, senior leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal, Ambika Soni, Digivijaya Singh, Ajay Maken and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
The presence of Kishor has led to a lot of speculations about the role of the poll strategist in the party. Last year, Kishor had said that people won’t reject the BJP immediately. In a video clip that went viral, Kishore was heard saying, “BJP is going to be the centre of Indian polity…Whether they win, whether they lose, like it was for the first 40 years for Congress, BJP is going nowhere.” He added, “Once you secure 30 per cent plus votes at the India-level, you are not going away in a hurry. So, do not ever get into this trap that people are getting angry and they will throw away (PM Narendra) Modi.”
