NEW DELHI: Even before Congress leadership sealed the entry of poll strategist Prashant Kishor, veteran leaders in the grand old party seem to be divided over the pros and cons of the move.
There is a group in the party which strongly backs PK’s entry while another group is totally against the idea. Some veterans fear that Kishor’s role as the party’s key strategist will spell more troubles for Congress which is already riddled with infighting.
After PK’s Saturday meeting with Gandhis and top leadership, several party leaders were “concerned” over the strategist’s condition that he should be given a freehand on the organisation revamp starting from block unit to top, system of ticket distribution, communication strategy, alliances with regional players and fundraising.
“Everyone has given time and energy and efforts for the last several decades to build the party. How can, on one fine day, a decision be taken to hand over the 135-year-old organisation to a poll strategist and his team? There has to be some thinking and the party can start with one department to implement his idea and see if it works,” said a former Union minister.
Another senior leader said that during previous meetings with Kishor, there were similar discussions, but things didn’t work out because “he was looking to play a role similar to the one played by late Ahmed Patel”. During his stint as political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Patel, who was known as a troubleshooter, was considered a part of the party’s power centre.
“He can’t dictate terms in the party and there has to be some mechanism before any deal is struck with him. He can only do some data jugglery and strategy but nothing beyond it. The ground presence and connection with people is the key to winning elections and that has to be done by the party leadership and workers,” said the leader.
A leader of the G23 group said everyone knew what ailed the party and several leaders had written and told the leadership about it. “It is like we know the problem but trust outsiders. We are ready to pay huge money to them (PK’s team) to revive the party while we don’t understand the core problem. My worry is that this could cause massive damage,” he said.
The party is scheduled to hold a chintan shivir soon to have a free-wheeling discussion on the matter.
Only Wasnik from G23 invited for meet
With none of the G23 leaders but Mukul Wasnik called for the meeting with Kishor, a leader of the G23 group was of the opinion that everyone knew what ailed the party.