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MAY 06, 2022 | The Indian Eye 8

Grand Old Party (the Congress), Earlier, Congress spokesperson responsibility. He declined. We ap- which was hoping to do well to re-
but the party first needs to fix its Randeep Surjewala said Congress preciate his efforts and suggestion vive its prospects for the 2024 Lok
deep-rooted problems and remove interim president Sonia Gandhi given to party,” Surjewala tweeted. Sabha elections and to fend off the
its structural weaknesses. constituted an Empowered Action This came after the Congress emerging challenge from the Aam
“People looking for a quick, Group 2024 and invited Kishor to panel set up by president Sonia Aadmi Party (AAP) and Trinamool
spontaneous revival of GOP-led op- join the party as part of the group Gandhi to work out a revival plan, as Congress to replace it as the fulcrum
position based on the Lakhimpur with defined responsibility but he suggested by poll strategist Prashant of anti-BJP politics in the country.
Kheri incident are setting them- declined. Kishor, submitted a report on its Earlier, Rajasthan Chief Minis-
selves up for a big disappointment. “Following a presentation and findings on Friday. ter Ashok Gehlot has openly praised
Unfortunately, there are no discussions with Prashant Kishor, After the recent poll debacle in Prashant Kishor, saying that he is a
quick-fix solutions to the deep-root- Congress President has constituted five states, Congress was holding ne- “brand”. Senior Congress leader
ed problems and structural weak- a Empowered Action Group 2024 gotiations with Kishor. Veerapa Moily has said that those
ness of GOP,” Kishor had said in a and invited him to join the party The results of five Assembly opposing Kishor’s entry to the party
tweet. as part of the group with defined polls came as a shock to Congress are “anti-reformers”.

New challenges for Congress

after PK refuses to join party

ith ace poll strategist put a condition in front of Congress
Prashant Kishor turning to give command of campaigning to
Wdown the offer to be in- Prashant Kishor. On Friday, Naresh
ducted into the Congress citing the Patel came to Delhi and met him.
need for “transformational reforms” He was also scheduled to meet Con-
in the grand old party, political ana- gress President Sonia Gandhi but the
lysts say the development could be a meeting did not take place. Clearly,
setback in the Congess’ aim of mak- the ‘Gujarat plan’ of the Congress
ing its mark in the upcoming Gujarat seems to be floundering.
Assembly polls as well as the 2024 However, some Congress sourc-
general elections. es are claiming that Naresh Patel will
“The preparations of Congress join the party.
have suffered a setback. After the Apart from elections and alli-
crushing defeat in the recently held ances, PK was advocating for major
assembly elections in five States, Con- changes within the Congress, which
gress was seeing hope in Kishore’s are now likely to be incomplete.
strategy,” a source said. While Con-
gress leaders may not give much im- After Kishore’s refusal, Congress
portance to Kishor’s refusal to join Priynaka Gandhi at Congress General secretaries and state in-charge meeting in Delhi (ANI)
the party, especially on the basis of leader Pawan Khera said to ANI,
his role in the party’s Special Action Group but he gave a jolt to Congress! Congress lacked a strong leader who “Congress has made an identity
Group which has been formulated for The question is whether Congress could parley with other parties. and
the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, many will be able to implement his sug- currently Congress interim President in the whole country by values
think otherwise. gestions without him?” sources said. Sonia Gandhi herself is engaging with and work. When we talk about
The Congress is formulating a Prashant Kishor, also referred to other party leaders.
fresh strategy to take the PM Nar- as PK, had also shared the strategy of With Kishor’s decision to not join Congress, we talk about values
endra Modi-led Government out of building a strong alliance against the the party, the alliance plan of Con- by rising above the individual
power in the General Elections slated BJP by keeping the Congress at the gress is likely to be affected. Allies
to be held in 2024. Centre of Opposition parties. He had like NCP, Shiv Sena have from time level. Talks to strategists are on
“The party’s future path will proposed leaving out certain old al- to time demanded from Congress to at different times. We accept ev-
be clear at the Udaipur Navsankalp lies of the Congress and joining hands leave the command of UPA, sources
Shivir to be held from May 13-May with new allies, including parties like said. eryone’s suggestions.”
15. But before that, to implement JDU in Bihar, TMC in Bengal and Also, Kishor’s decision has
the suggestions of Prashant Kishor, TRS in Telangana, sources said. thrown up a crisis for Congress in Khera said that there is no harm
Congress President Sonia Gandhi de- Apart from these parties, PK has Gujarat. Congress is in the process to in his decision (referring to Kishor’s
cided to form an Empowered Action good relations with Andhra Pradesh make Patidar community leader Na- call to not join the party). “There
Group for the Lok Sabha elections,” Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Red- resh Patel as Chief Ministerial face by must have been some reason why
sources said. dy, and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind getting him into the party in the Gu- he turned down the offer,” he said.
“PK had advised Congress to fo- Kejriwal among others. After the jarat assembly elections likely to be However, on the question related to
cus on 370 Lok Sabha seats and change death of Congress leader Ahmed Pa- held by the end of this year. the possibility of PK working for Con-
its media strategy. He was offered a tel and the sidelining of senior Con- According to sources, PK’s strat- gress in the future, Khera said that the
position as a member of the Action gress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, the egy was behind this. Naresh Patel had doors of Congress are never closed.

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