2024 Polls or United Opposition? Prashant Kishor Holds Meet With Gandhis

Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, KC Venugopal, and Harish Rawat were also present at the meeting.

The meeting between Rahul Gandhi and Prashant Kishor comes amid reports of feud within the Congress in Punjab.

(Photo: PTI/Prashant Kishor's office/Altered by The Quint)

Poll strategist Prashant Kishor met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at his residence in Delhi on Tuesday, 13 July, news agency ANI reported.

According to reports, party leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, KC Venugopal, and Harish Rawat were also at Gandhi's residence when the meeting took place.

Meanwhile, NDTV reported quoting sources that Sonia Gandhi was also present at the meeting virtually.

The meeting comes amid reports of feud within the Congress in Punjab, which is scheduled to go to polls early next year. Kishor is serving as advisor to Captain Amarinder Singh, the state's chief minister.

Apart from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh will also be holding Assembly elections next year, with Priyanka expected to play a leading role in the Congress' campaign.

However, reports also say that the meeting was not about either of these upcoming polls, but about getting the Congress ready to face the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

'Kishore Didn't Meet Gandhi for Punjab Negotiations': Punjab Cong Gen Secy

Meanwhile, Congress General Secretary in-charge of Punjab, Harish Rawat was quoted by ANI as saying:

"Rahulji is a national leader. So many leaders meet him and convey their views. He takes input from different people. Prashant Kishor didn't meet him to negotiate something regarding Punjab."

Rawat also said that in the next 3-4 days, there will be good news for Punjab Congress.

Meanwhile, Sidhu's Cryptic Tweet

Meanwhile, Sidhu on Tuesday, posted a cryptic tweet saying that, "Our opposition AAP has always recognised my vision and work for Punjab.”

He also shared a video of AAP leader Sanjay Singh lauding him for "taking the bold step" of quitting the BJP in 2017 and for raising his voice against the Akali Dal.

Further, Sidhu added:

"If the Opposition dares to question me, yet they can’t escape my Pro-People Agenda ... This means they have resigned to their fate !! (sic)"

Meanwhile, Harish Rawat, has, as per ANI, said that he cannot comment on what is being said on social media.

"Sidhu Ji has his own style. Both Captain Amarinder Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu have said that they are ready to accept the decision taken by the party leadership."

Harish Rawat

Singh vs Sidhu: What's Going on in the Background?

A day after his meeting with Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, CM Singh met with Kishor on 7 July, reported NDTV.

Kishor, who has been credited with crafting many election victories, also helped Singh's election campaign in 2017. According to the report, Singh met with Kishor in Delhi’s Kapurthala house on 7 July.

Fighting an anti-incumbency wave in Punjab and the recent targeted attacks by Navjot Singh Sidhu on the ongoing power crisis and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), Singh may be looking for repeat of 2017 in the upcoming 2022 elections.

Singh met with Sonia on 6 July amid efforts by the party high command to resolve the factionalism in the party’s state unit ahead of the Assembly polls next year.

The CM said that he would accept 'whatever decision is taken by the Congress high command'.

Singh’s meeting with Sonia came just days after Sidhu met Priyanka and Rahul in New Delhi to present his side.

(With inputs from NDTV and ANI.)