Prashant Kishor remains party strategist for UP, Punjab: Congress

Recently, there have been reports that Congress' local units in UP and Punjab were unhappy with Kishor

Seeking to play down media reports that poll strategist Prashant Kishor might soon part ways with the Congress, party sources said the consultant continues to play the role assigned to him in the two poll-bound states. 

Recently, there have been reports that Congress’ local units in Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Punjab were unhappy with Kishor. Sources in Kishor’s office also discounted the reports saying his team members were working on the ground and coordinating with district-level party units. Kishor, an advisor to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has been hired by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi to formulate the party’s strategy in UP and Punjab, which will have Assembly polls in early 2017.

Notably, Kishor was also involved in the campaign of Narendra Modi when he was Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime minister nominee in 2014.

“There was some unease when Kishor came in initially. But, things are smooth now. He is doing his job,” said a senior party functionary closely involved with the UP polls asking not be named. 

The recent trigger has been Kishor’s meetings with Samajwadi Party (SP) boss Mulayam Singh Yadav and UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav over a possible alliance in the state to check the BJP’s rise in the state.  While local leaders were miffed with Kishor playing such a role, the consultant’s office described the interactions as ‘routine meetings’. 

The UP poll scenario was also discussed at a strategy meeting of the Congress Working Committee where senior leaders supported the ‘go solo’ line instead of exploring options either with the SP or the Bahujan Samaj Party. 

Kishor was behind Rahul Gandhi’s month-long kisan yatra in September across UP, which got traction among people. He often attends party meetings and had a role in the naming of a ‘Brahmin face’, Sheila Dikshit, as the Congress chief minister nominee in the state. 

In Punjab, Kishor planned ‘Coffee with Captain’ and ‘Halke wich Captain’ campaigns which centered around state Congress chief Amarinder Singh. 

Initially, Amarinder, too, had some problems with Kishor forcing the party to declare that the consultant would have no role in ticket distribution.