New Delhi: Poll strategist Prashant Kishor met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at the latter’s residence here Tuesday. The meeting created a fresh buzz in the political circles. Prashant Kishor has recently held talks with NCP chief Sharad Pawar. It led to speculation that he was helping build a larger opposition front to take on the BJP in the next cycle of Assembly elections and later in the 2024 general elections.
The meeting with Kishor, who is Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s principal advisor, also came in the backdrop of ongoing discussions on a likely revamp of the party’s state unit. AICC general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (Uttar Pradesh) and KC Venugopal (organisation) were also present at the meeting.
Sources however stated that while the meeting was on Congress president Sonia Gandhi joined the meeting by virtual link. They pointed out the meeting was not about the Punjab or Uttar Pradesh polls, as speculated earlier. However, it is about ‘something bigger’. The sources indicated that Kishor might be looking at a significant role in getting the Congress battle-ready for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The sources also said this is not the first time that the ace strategist is meeting with the Gandhis.
There however, was no official word on what was discussed at the meeting with Kishor that lasted almost over 90 minutes.
Harish Rawat, who is Punjab in-charge, however played down Kishor’s meeting with Rahul Gandhi.
“Rahul Gandhi is a national leader. All kinds of people meet him and talk to him, and he may take inputs. That does not mean Prashant Kishor has come to negotiate on Punjab affairs. Harish Rawat will speak to Rahul Gandhi on Punjab affairs,” Rawat said after meeting Gandhi.
He said that Rahul Gandhi was the only leader who was speaking to the government eyeball to eyeball. “Had anything on Punjab been discussed, I would have been engaged,” Rawat said.
The former Uttrakhand CM also said that the Congress was working to ensure that both Punjab CM and Navjot Singh Sidhu worked together for the 2022 state elections.