Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday met his Principal Adviser and the renowned poll strategist Prashant Kishor before returning from Delhi. The meeting, that lasted for more than a hour, reportedly discussed the strategy the party would be adopting, especially in the next one month, as Punjab is heading towards elections in early 2022.
The meeting between the two, that comes a day after the Chief Minister met the Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi, gave a strong indication that Capt Amarinder is set to lead the party in run up to ensuing State Assembly elections.
What actually transpired in an hour long meeting is yet to be known, but it has been learnt that the Chief Minister has discussed various aspects in the meeting including the issues to be taken up, regarding the promises made before 2017, among other things.
The meeting also assumed significance as Prashant Kishor, after masterminding the Mamta Benarjee led Trinamool Congress’s victory in West Bengal elections, had made public his decision to quit working as a political strategist; and it was still not clear whether the election strategist would continue to work for Capt Amarinder.
Notably, Capt Amarinder had appointed Kishor as his Principal Adviser bestowing him with a Cabinet rank in the Punjab Government — a decision which was challenged in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Sources informed The Pioneer that it has been decided that the Congress party would get into poll mode in the next one month, till the time all its infighting and other issues expected to be resolved.
It has been learnt that the two leaders discussed the party’s strategy, and regarding the issues that should be used to help the party sail through. It is believed that discussion was also held on whether the party would bank on the development plank besides making an all out effort to fulfill all the pre poll promises first before going to the polls.
Available information suggests that Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi, during her meeting with the Chief Minister on Tuesday, had reportedly conveyed to Capt Amarinder that the next polls in Punjab would be contested under his leadership—something which was also visible from his body language.
It is believed that Capt Amarinder has been asked to work on the 18-point agenda given to him by the party high command, while leaving it on them (party’s central leadership) to decide on his main critic Navjot Singh Sidhu’s role.