Cong leaders discuss party’s strategy for assembly polls in Gujarat, HP

During the strategy group meeting that lasted over four hours, the leaders discussed threadbare various facets of the party’s electoral strategy.

The meeting came days after poll strategist Prashant Kishor gave a detailed presentation before top party leaders at Gandhi’s residence.

While Sonia Gandhi attended the strategy group meeting for some time, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi was not present.

Senior Congress leaders K C Venugopal, Ambika Soni, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Mukul Wasnik, Jairam Ramesh, P Chidambaram and Randeep Singh Surjewala were among those present.

Sources said the purpose of the meeting was to plan in advance for the assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh later this year and in Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan in 2023.

Kishore was not present at today’s meeting. However, he met the Congress president separately and left her house late in the evening, the sources said.

The Congress has suffered a string of defeats in recent assembly elections.

Kishor had met the Congress chief on Saturday and made a detailed presentation on the party’s revival strategy and the way forward for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Venugopal had indicated about the formation of the group that would discuss Kishor’s plan for the upcoming assembly and parliamentary elections and give suggestions and its report to the Congress president for further action.

Sources said Kishor had given this long-term strategy for the Congress’ revival before the top party leadership.

With an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he is understood to have told the leadership to focus on 365-370 parliamentary seats alone and strengthen its base in these constituencies.

Kishor has suggested that the party contest alone in a few state assembly elections where it is strong and has remained either on the top or in the second position in previous elections.