It will be Congress president's decision on Prashant Kishor's induction, says Digvijaya Singh
There are doubts within the Congress on bringing Prashant Kishor into the party, but "we have an open mind", senior leader Digvijaya Singh said today, amid reports that the ace election strategist may be on the verge of joining the opposition party with a mega revival plan thrown in.
Digvijaya Singh, who is among the leaders Sonia Gandhi is consulting on the Prashant Kishor plan and who is in the panel that examined the strategist's roadmap for the Congress, described the PK analysis as "impressive".
"He is a statistics man. There is nothing very new, nothing that we did not know. There is no resistance to having him in the party, people are receptive. But the only thing is to what extent and how and what," Digvijaya Singh told NDTV in an exclusive interview.
Mr Singh is seen to be one of the Congress leaders who have reservations about Prashant Kishor being given a party post that would empower him to make changes to the organisation.
"I haven't had a very close association with him. Neither did I have intense interactions with him as such. He is a political analyst. And he has suggested a roadmap. But then his journey has been from one party to the other. So that kind of political commitment or the ideological commitment was not obvious. But now that he has come forward with some concrete suggestions and the presentation that he has put up - yes, is quite good," said the Congress leader.
But is there some hesitancy in the ranks over PK's past record with the BJP? Mr Kishor is credited with designing the BJP's blockbuster 2014 campaign.
"As it is there are reports...he has his I-PAC organisation on one side and his own personality on the other side. He is working with Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal, with Jagan (Mohan Reddy) in Andhra Pradesh and DMK in Tamil Nadu."
Mr Singh conceded that there are doubts among Congress leaders.
"The Congress is such a large party that there would be some doubts but at the same time, we have an open mind," he said.
But the decision on his induction would be entirely that of party president Sonia Gandhi, said Mr Singh.
Sources say Prashant Kishor is likely to join the Congress soon.
In his meeting last week with Sonia Gandhi and her children Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, PK made a presentation outlining a revival plan for the Congress and a strategy to win upcoming polls in states as well as the 2024 general election.
While Prashant Kishor's Congress 2.0 plan has not been revealed, NDTV has accessed details of the plan he presented to the Gandhis last year.
Among his recommendations was Sonia Gandhi as Congress president, with a "Non-Gandhi" Working President or Vice President, and Rahul Gandhi as Parliamentary Board chief.
"You can't expect the party to decide the issues of leadership outside the parameters that we work in. We have our elections. All these things will be taken into account," Mr Singh said.
When pressed on whether a non-Gandhi Working President was a viable option for the Congress, Mr Singh first said "there is no such thing as a working president".
He added cautiously: "It is something the party has to decide. I have a view but I can't share it."
But is the party open to a non-Gandhi as its leader?
Everyone is free to file their nomination for the election of national president, Mr Singh replied.
"A majority of Congressmen... since 1969, every split has supported the Nehru-Gandhi family," he added.
On Rahul Gandhi, Mr Singh maintained that he had what it takes to lead the Congress.
He also disagreed with the perception of Rahul Gandhi as a "reluctant politician".
"He is a very conscientious person. He resigned in 2019 even though the party stood by him. I am absolutely certain he has all the abilities to lead the party."
Rahul Gandhi's track record has been dogged by giant defeats and scattered victories. But Mr Singh stressed: "There is nothing wrong with his track record. He is politically, ideologically correct, a liberal, modern, secular, socialist..."