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‘Should take a step back’: Political strategist Prashant Kishor’s advise to Congress’s Rahul Gandhi | India News
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NEW DELHI: Political strategist Prashant Kishor has suggested that Rahul Gandhi should consider taking a step back if the Congress fails to achieve the desired results in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Talking to PTI, Kishor expressed his concerns about Rahul’s leadership, stating that despite running the party, the Congress leader has not been able to bring about the expected outcomes over the past decade.
Kishor criticised Gandhi for not allowing someone else to take charge in light of the party’s lack of success in the past 10 years.
“This according to me is also anti-democratic,” said Kishor, who had prepared a revival plan for the opposition party but walked out due to the disagreements between him and its leadership over the execution of his strategy.
Highlighting the importance of recognising one’s limitations as a leader and being open to seeking assistance to address those shortcomings. He pointed out that while good leaders acknowledge their deficiencies and seek to bridge the gaps, Rahul Gandhi appears to “believe he knows everything” and does not see the need for external help in executing his vision effectively.
Referencing Sonia Gandhi’s decision to step back from politics after Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination and allow P V Narasimha Rao to lead in 1991, Kishor urged Rahul Gandhi to consider a similar approach. He emphasised that the Congress and its supporters are bigger than any individual, reiterating the need for Gandhi to set aside his personal ambitions for the party’s greater good.
Kishor also addressed the internal dynamics of the Congress party, noting that many leaders feel constrained in their decision-making as they are required to seek approval from Rahul Gandhi for even minor matters.
However, he also mentioned that there are dissenting voices within the party who believe that Gandhi should be more decisive in his leadership.
Regarding Gandhi’s assertion that external factors like the Election Commission, judiciary, and media have contributed to the party’s electoral setbacks, Kishor acknowledged some validity in this argument but emphasized that internal structural issues within the Congress also play a significant role in its declining performance.
While Kishor dismissed claims of the Congress being in terminal decline, he emphasized the need for the party to address its internal flaws and restructure its functioning to regain electoral relevance. He highlighted the historical resilience of the Congress and its ability to adapt and reinvent itself over time.
“The Congress should not be merely seen as a party. The space it represents in the country can never be finished off. It is not possible. The Congress has evolved and reincarnated itself several times in its history,” he said.
Kishor also addressed the challenges faced by the Aam Aadmi Party in expanding beyond its success in Delhi, attributing its limitations to a lack of ideological and institutional foundations. He refuted the possibility of the AAP replacing the Congress on a national scale.
In response to the BJP’s criticism of dynastic politics within the Congress and other regional parties, Kishor acknowledged the public’s concerns regarding family-based leadership but noted that this issue is not unique to any specific party. He questioned the effectiveness of leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, and Tejashwi Yadav in leading their respective parties to victory.
He added that the BJP has not had to deal with the issue because they have acquired power recently, and the pressure to give positions to family members of its leaders will come now.
(With inputs from agencies)
Talking to PTI, Kishor expressed his concerns about Rahul’s leadership, stating that despite running the party, the Congress leader has not been able to bring about the expected outcomes over the past decade.
Kishor criticised Gandhi for not allowing someone else to take charge in light of the party’s lack of success in the past 10 years.
“This according to me is also anti-democratic,” said Kishor, who had prepared a revival plan for the opposition party but walked out due to the disagreements between him and its leadership over the execution of his strategy.
Highlighting the importance of recognising one’s limitations as a leader and being open to seeking assistance to address those shortcomings. He pointed out that while good leaders acknowledge their deficiencies and seek to bridge the gaps, Rahul Gandhi appears to “believe he knows everything” and does not see the need for external help in executing his vision effectively.
Referencing Sonia Gandhi’s decision to step back from politics after Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination and allow P V Narasimha Rao to lead in 1991, Kishor urged Rahul Gandhi to consider a similar approach. He emphasised that the Congress and its supporters are bigger than any individual, reiterating the need for Gandhi to set aside his personal ambitions for the party’s greater good.
Kishor also addressed the internal dynamics of the Congress party, noting that many leaders feel constrained in their decision-making as they are required to seek approval from Rahul Gandhi for even minor matters.
However, he also mentioned that there are dissenting voices within the party who believe that Gandhi should be more decisive in his leadership.
Regarding Gandhi’s assertion that external factors like the Election Commission, judiciary, and media have contributed to the party’s electoral setbacks, Kishor acknowledged some validity in this argument but emphasized that internal structural issues within the Congress also play a significant role in its declining performance.
While Kishor dismissed claims of the Congress being in terminal decline, he emphasized the need for the party to address its internal flaws and restructure its functioning to regain electoral relevance. He highlighted the historical resilience of the Congress and its ability to adapt and reinvent itself over time.
“The Congress should not be merely seen as a party. The space it represents in the country can never be finished off. It is not possible. The Congress has evolved and reincarnated itself several times in its history,” he said.
Kishor also addressed the challenges faced by the Aam Aadmi Party in expanding beyond its success in Delhi, attributing its limitations to a lack of ideological and institutional foundations. He refuted the possibility of the AAP replacing the Congress on a national scale.
In response to the BJP’s criticism of dynastic politics within the Congress and other regional parties, Kishor acknowledged the public’s concerns regarding family-based leadership but noted that this issue is not unique to any specific party. He questioned the effectiveness of leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, and Tejashwi Yadav in leading their respective parties to victory.
He added that the BJP has not had to deal with the issue because they have acquired power recently, and the pressure to give positions to family members of its leaders will come now.
(With inputs from agencies)
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