Political strategist Prashant Kishor on Monday caused ripples in the choppy waters of Bihar politics with the cryptic announcement of a fresh shuruat (beginning) from his home state.
The announcement has come within a week of his statement on Twitter that he had declined the Congress' offer to join a group on strengthening the organization in the run-up to 2024 general elections
Cong leaders may not give much importance to Kishor's refusal to join the party, especially on the basis of his role in party's Special Action Group which has been formulated for 2024 Lok Sabha polls
Earlier in the day, Kishor declined the Congress offer to join it and be a part of its Empowered Action Group for 2024 Lok Sabha elections
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Kishor was asked by Congress president Sonia Gandhi to join the party and be a part of the Empowered Action Group-2024 and take care of its election strategy for upcoming polls
To hold Chintan Shivir next month to discuss challenges ahead of '24 polls
This arrangement with the TRS may come as a roadblock for Kishor's entry into the Congress as the party is seeking to wrest power from the TRS in Telangana
The Congress is essentially a party of patronage and nepotism - qualities that prevent new entrants from flourishing. Prashant Kishor's proposal also requires a continuous flow of funds
However, TRS leader KT Rama Rao clarified that the party is just working with the I-PAC and not with Prashant Kishor
The Congress is examining Prashant Kishore's 600-slide presentation on strengthening and revival of the congress party and is yet to confirm his induction into the party
Amid the rumours of his joining Congress, poll strategist Prashant Kishor will hold talks with party interim president Sonia Gandhi on Friday, said sources.
Congress general secretary Tariq Anwar on Thursday said Prashant Kishor is willing to join the party without any preconditions and his induction would certainly help the party.
Party's senior leaders Digvijaya Singh, Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Ajay Maken were present in the meeting.
This is what PM Modi believes but Prashant Kishor and Opposition leaders are of the opinion that the BJP can still lose
Rao and Kishor are understood to have discussed the ongoing efforts to bring together non-BJP parties, the present round of assembly polls and other political developments
The visit comes amid speculations that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has hired Kishor to evolve a strategy for next elections
The issue also brought to the fore rumors of strains in the relationship between TMC and the Prashant Kishor-led political consultancy I-PAC
The TMC said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, they will work as one team and will continue to collaborate in the future
Even in its second successive annihilation by the BJP, the Congress retained a solid block of 20 per cent votes. That's why all of BJP's victims want the Congress at the core of their challenge