Election strategist Prashant Kishor's decision to resign as principal advisor to Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh comes as a strong indication that he is quitting political consultancy and getting ready to cross over into politics.
Kishor, who had crafted Amarinder's campaign in the Assembly elections in 2017, was brought on board yet again by the chief minister earlier this year. In March, he was appointed as principal advisor to Amarinder and given the rank and status of a cabinet minister.
However, in the wake of intense speculation about Kishor joining the Congress soon and also in the light of the appointment of Navjot Singh Sidhu as the president of the party's Punjab unit changing the political dynamics in the state, Kishor's continuance as the chief minister's advisor had appeared untenable.
According to Congress sources, Kishor could soon be brought into the party in an advisory role, reporting directly to the party president. It is learnt that he could be a part of a high level advisory group that would deliberate on issues such as organisational changes in the party, election strategy and alliances.
The decision to resign as Amarinder's advisor is a clear indication from Kishor that he is giving up his vocation as a consultant to politicians. He had given ample hint with regard to his future plans when he had declared after the announcement of the Assembly election results earlier this year that he was quitting the political consultancy space.
The development does not bode too well for Amarinder as it makes it doubtful that he will be the face of the party in the coming Assembly elections. Even in any other capacity, for Kishor to advise Amarinder on the coming state polls had become uncertain after Sidhu's appointment as PCC chief.
Kishor believes in a presidential style of campaign, and in keeping with that, he had in the previous election worked to project Amarinder as the face of the Congress' campaign, the highlight of which was the 'Punjab Da Captain' slogan. With Sidhu, Amarinder's bete noire and challenger, heading the Congress in the state now, a message conveyed by the party to the people is that he is the future leader, putting in jeopardy any possibility of projecting Amarinder as the party's face in the coming election.
Last month, as the Congress leadership was giving the finishing touches to its decisions for Punjab, Kishor had a meeting with the Gandhis in which AICC General Secretary in charge of the state Harish Rawat was also present. There was speculation that Kishor provided the party with inputs on Punjab. But it was officially denied by Rawat that the meeting with Kishor had anything to do with the party's affairs in the state.
In the meantime, there is speculation on what Kishor's growing engagement with the Congress would mean for his association with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. He had strategised for the Trinamool Congress in the Assembly elections and it was believed that he would have a role in projecting Banerjee as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's main challenger in he Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
