Congress formally announced on Tuesday that poll strategist Prashant Kishor will not be a member of the party, but added that it will continue to take professional advice from him. Congress had decided to form an empowered group on Monday to consider the proposal to make Kishor a member of the party, and for drafting strategies for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Congress General Secretary Randeep Surjewala said Kishor declined Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s offer to join the party. He added that the party appreciated Kishor’s efforts and suggestions. Kishor had met leaders of the Congress with plans to revitalise the Opposition party.
“Following a presentation and discussions with Prashant Kishor, the Congress President constituted the Empowered Action Group-2024 and invited him to join the party as part of the group with defined responsibility. He declined. We appreciate his efforts and suggestions given to the party,” Surjewala said.
“In my humble opinion, more than me, the party needs leadership and collective will to fix the deep rooted structural problems through transformational reforms,” Kishor said in Twitter.
Proximity to BJP
A number of Congress leaders were unhappy with Kishor’s decision to advice the TRS in Telangana and his alleged proximity to top BJP and NDA leaders. Congress sources, however, said the the party will continue to take suggestions from Kishor for the upcoming Assembly elections and Lok Sabha polls.