Congress may rope in strategist Prashant Kishor for Gujarat poll

Kishor reportedly gave a one-time offer, without strings attached

ITDC INDIA EPRESS/ITDC NEWS R The Congress, which has remained out of power for the last two-and-a-half decades, is doing everything that it can to see if it can dislodge the BJP from power in Gujarat.

Even as the possibility of election strategist Prashant Kishor managing Gujarat elections for the Congress is not being ruled out, the party late night on Thursday appointed as many as 25 vice presidents for Gujarat and 75 general secretaries.The decision of appointing vice presidents and general secretaries in such large numbers is unprecedented in the history of Gujarat Congress and in fact it has become a laughing stock among the section of Congressmen.

Ironically, the strength of vice presidents and general secretaries appointed is more the total number of MLAs of the Congress. The Congress has 65 MLAs. In 2017, it had won 77 seats but during the last five years 12 law makers quit the party. Majority of them joined the BJP and some even got ministerial berths.

A senior Gujarat Congress leader, on the condition of anonymity, told THE WEEK that the decision seems to have been taken by state Congress in-charge Raghu Sharma. Replying to question on taking a decision in consultation of whom, another senior leader said the problem is because "whom" is a question mark at the party’s national level. He was referring to the fact that it is unclear as to who calls the shots.

Chief spokesperson of the Gujarat Congress Dr. Manish Doshi said that the appointments have been made taking into consideration the combination of youth and seniority. The move, according to him, will also lead to accountability of work. "Together we will fight 2022 elections," he said.The appointments came around the time a section of the media reported that Kishor gave a one-time offer, without strings attached.

In the past, the talks between the election strategist and the Congress high-command had failed in the past and then he worked for the TMC in West Bengal. According to party sources, several Congress leaders, including many from the G-23, were averse to managing things with a position in the party.

Kishor’s reported offer has come at a time when the Congress’ bargaining capacity has decreased after poor show in the recently concluded assembly elections in five states.

Albeit, some of the Gujarat Congress leaders, who do not wish to be named, are of the opinion that this time around there are chances that Kishor would work for the party for Gujarat elections.The opposition party is also trying to woo Naresh Patel, an industrialist and head of the Khodaldham Trust of Leuva Patels, to join the party. Patel has kept cards close to his heart. He has made it clear that would join politics at the right time.

If at all he decides to join the Congress, it will be certainly a major gain for it for he commands a huge following and respect in Saurashtra region.