Gandhis want Prashant Kishor; party brass served his wish list

The Gandhis on Sunday shared election strategist Prashant Kishor's presentation on the 2024 Lok Sabha polls with some senior Congress leaders, the latest indication that the Gandhis and Kishor are keen on working together on framing and executing the party's general election strategy.

There are indications that Kishor is also keen on joining the party and the leadership is open to that.

The AICC said it will take a decision in a week on Kishor's proposals and wishes, but the feeling in the Congress circles is that the meeting at 10 Janpath was just a way of the Gandhis making their wish go through the motions of collective decision.

Kishore's presentation stressed on the need for the Congress to focus on a little less than 400 seats in the 2024 LS polls, through solo runs in friendless areas and alliances in states with potential allies, it is learnt.

The 10 Janpath meeting also discussed the upcoming Congress leaders' 'chintan shivir', perhaps in Rajasthan, to discuss ways to revive the party. A Congress Working Committee meeting later this week will finalise the schedule for the shivir, it is learnt.

Kishor has been reportedly giving the Gandhis his outlook on the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls as well, including the benefits the Congress can get by admitting socially influential industrialist Naresh Patel.

After the meeting, AICC general secretary (org) KC Venugopal told reporters, "Kishor has given a detailed presentation on 2024 poll strategy to the Congress chief. The plan presented by him will be looked at by a group set up by Sonia Gandhi ji. The group will submit a report within a week for a final decision."

On whether Kishor will join the Congress, Venugopal said, "Every detail will be informed within a week's time."

Among the Congress leaders who attended the meeting convened by Sonia Gandhi were Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Vadra, Venugopal, AK Antony, Digvijaya Singh, Ambika Soni, Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken. The fact that the Gandhis reached out to Kishor--after his attempt last year to join the Congress fell through --is being seen as an advertisement of the desperation of the Congress leadership for external help, especially after the party suffered defeat in all five states polls recently.