Prashant Kishor Forecast: Congress' "Impending Rout" In Gujarat, Himachal

Prashant Kishor today posted a savage review for the Congress, the party he almost joined weeks ago, calling its recent “Chintan Shivir” or brainstorming session on a revival plan a “failure”. In doing so, the election strategist predicted an “impending electoral rout” for the Congress in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections later this year.

"I've been repeatedly asked to comment on the outcome of #UdaipurChintanShivir. In my view, it failed to achieve anything meaningful other than prolonging the status-quo and giving some time to the #Congress leadership, at least till the impending electoral rout in Gujarat and HP!" - Prashant Kishor wrote in his post.

The Congress, promising hard decisions after a series of election debacles since 2014, approved some reforms during the three-day strategy meet in Rajasthan's Udaipur but steered clear of any dramatic decisions or larger questions like a leadership overhaul.

Weeks before the meet, the Congress's talks with Prashant Kishor for a collaboration crashed for the second time in a year.

During those talks, a panel of Congress leaders had discussed Prashant Kishor's presentation on a rescue plan for the Congress ahead of elections in important states and the 2024 national polls.

But the strategist pulled away when he was reportedly asked to work for the Congress as part of an "Empowered Action Group"; such a group, he said, did not have any authority under the party's constitution and so, would end up adding another layer to the Congress's internal fissures.

Prashant Kishor's Congress 2.0 plan, which he had presented to the Gandhis last year, recommended Sonia Gandhi as party president, with a "Non-Gandhi" Working President or Vice President, and Rahul Gandhi as Parliamentary Board chief.

The proposal for a parliamentary board, a key demand of a rebel group within the Congress, was shot down in the Udaipur session. Instead, the party decided to have a political affairs committee in every state and the Centre.

The Congress also brought back a "One Family One Ticket" rule. But the rule leaves a loophole for those who have been in active politics for five years, which helps the Gandhi family among others.