Prashant Kishore predicts Congress' 'Impending Rout' in Gujarat, Himachal polls
What's the story
Political strategist Prashant Kishor on Friday wrote a harsh critique of the Congress, the party he almost joined last month.
He declared the party's recent 'Chintan Shivir,' or brainstorming session on a revival plan before the 2024 elections, a "failure."
Kishor's latest comments are considered a forecast for upcoming elections, predicting an "impending electoral rout" for the Congress in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Last month, Kishor rejected the Congress's offer to join the party's Empowered Action Group for the 2024 general elections.
Taking a parting shot, Kishor had said the party needs leadership more than him, and collective will to fix the deep-rooted structural problems through transformational reforms.
Earlier, speculations were previously rife that Kishor would join Congress following a series of meetings in recent months.
Tweet
What did Kishor tweet?
"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," he wrote on the Twitter.
Kishor said he had been repeatedly asked to comment on the outcome of the recently held Udaipur Chintan Shivir of the Congress.
Reaction
Leadership issue not addressed in 'Chintin Shivir'
After a string of poll debacles since 2014, Congress decided on several adjustments during a three-day strategy meeting in Udaipur.
However, the party avoided any dramatic moves or broader issues, such as a leadership change which probably prompted Kishor to write the scathing criticism.
The Congress's collaborative negotiations with Kishor fell down for the second time in a year only weeks before the meeting.
Plan
What was Kishor's plan for Congress 2.0
Earlier, Kishor presented a proposal that called for Sonia Gandhi to be party president, with a 'Non-Gandhi' Working President or Vice President, and Rahul to lead the Parliamentary Board.
The idea for a parliamentary board, a crucial demand of a rebel faction, was declined in Udaipur.
Instead, the party opted to form a political affairs committee in each state and at the national level.
Details
Kishor planning 3,000-km Padyatra from Oct 2
Earlier this month, Kishor announced a 3,000-kilometer-long padayatra or a march in Bihar from October 2 onwards.
While Kishor did not make any announcement of a new political party--as speculated by many--he, however, maintained that he would dedicate himself to building a new dispensation in Bihar.
This comes after Kishor's tweet, saying it was "time to go to the Real Masters."