The Congress has been bitterly criticised since it announced on Tuesday political strategist Prashant Kishor had declined its invitation to join the party. Kishor confirmed the decision and added the party needed structural reforms and leadership to address its slide.
On Wednesday, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera was asked whether the party's chapter with Prashant Kishor was a closed one. Khera was quoted by The Times of India as saying “The doors and windows of Congress party are always open.”
Khera argued the Congress was bigger than individuals. He claimed the party would return to the politics of agitation. “Whenever Congress has left, or has been distracted from, the politics of struggle and agitation, it has lost power. We know how to return to the path of struggle. A big party, like a big vehicle. takes time to manoeuvre even if it is course correction. But Congress and its workers know their responsibility. We will have to return to the path of struggle,” Khera was quoted as saying by The Times of India.
Interestingly, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram told NDTV on Wednesday Kishor had offered only data to the Congress and no inputs on leadership.
Chidambaram told NDTV “PK plan had nothing on leadership issue. Didn't hear of any Priyanka [Gandhi] for [Congress] President proposal either.”
However, Chidambaram acknowledged Kishor had presented “very impressive data” on “elections, voting patterns—by segment, by demographics and candidates”. Chidambaram said the data and Kishor's analysis were impressive and the party intended to take action on some of his proposals.
Chidambaram also referred to the complications arising from Kishor's connection to I-PAC, his political consultancy that works with multiple parties. “He is perhaps advising TRS, TMC and Jagan Reddy. He probably wants to retain his role as an advisor to these parties... He has to work out what his relation with I-PAC is after he had accepted Congress's offer,” Chidambaram told NDTV.
