Prashant Kishor, who enjoys the reputation of being a successful strategist for elections, will now be assisting Punjab Congress in the Assembly elections due early next year.
“The All India Congress Committee has given its approval to Prashant Kishor to guide Punjab Congress in the elections,” state party head Captain Amarinder Singh told the Sunday Guardian here.
Sources said that the party was keen to rope in Kishor for Uttar Pradesh elections as well as Punjab elections but it was not immediately known whether Kishor will be strategising for the party in UP. “We can’t say what’s the final word on UP but Kishor has got AICC’s nod for Punjab,” said sources in the party.
Sources added that Kishor was more keen on working with Amarinder individually rather than with the party. His job will be basically to devise an effective strategy for the elections. Sources say that Kishor will be leading a 15-member team to Chandigarh this week itself, and will meet key people before they prepare their plan.
Kishor shot to fame after he played a key role in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s success in Gujarat elections and also the parliamentary elections in 2014 which saw his party notch up a historic victory. More recently, Kishor joined hands with Nitish Kumar-led grand alliance in Bihar and was instrumental in planning its strategy. On becoming Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar acknowledged Kishor’s efforts and appointed him as advisor (Policies and Programme Implementation) to the Chief Minister, giving him a Cabinet Minister’s status.
Punjab Congress will expect Kishor to do the same in the state which is expected to witness a triangular contest involving arch-rivals Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP combine and the relatively new Aam Aadmi Party.
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