Muristek
New Delhi, April 16
The Congress today started its preparations for the next Lok Sabha elections with political strategist Prashant Kishor presenting a detailed roadmap for 2024 before Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi and top party leaders.
Congress Panel to study proposals
Kishor has given a detailed presentation on 2024 poll strategy to Cong chief. The plan will be looked into by a committee set up by the party chief and submit a report to her in a week for a final decision. — KC Venugopal, Congress leader
Amid the buzz that Kishor may also join the party in "some capacity", senior leader KC Venugopal said, "Kishor has given a detailed presentation on 2024 poll strategy to the Congress chief. The plan presented by him will be looked into by a committee set up by the Congress chief and submit a report to her within a week for a final decision."
Sources claimed that Kishor indicated he was "ready to join the Congress without any expectations. He just wants that the plan be implemented to help strengthen the party at the grassroots level".
Kishor was expelled from JD (U) over his stand on the Citizenship Amendment Act. Earlier, he was spotted at the residence of Rahul Gandhi, which he called a "courtesy meeting" .
Kishor is believed to have given his long-term strategy for the Congress' revival. With an eye on the 2024 general elections, he is understood to have told the leadership to focus on 365-370 parliamentary seats alone and strengthen base in these constituencies.
He also recommended that the party should contest alone in Assemblies where it is strong and was either in the top or in the second position in earlier elections. He also asked the leadership to start afresh in states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha, they added
Kishor, who has held several rounds of meetings with top Congress leadership, is also learnt to have made suggestions on the Assembly polls, including induction of Naresh Patel, a patidar leader in Gujarat. The leadership is learnt to have discussed poll strategy for Himachal , Gujarat and the 'Chintan Shivir' scheduled in Rajasthan with the aim to strengthen the party at the grassroots level and discuss changes in the party.
They also discussed the current political situation, the sources said. Those present included former party chief Rahul Gandhi, senior leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Ambika Soni, Digivijaya Singh, Ajay Maken and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.