Punjab News Express/Satinder Bains
CHANDIGARH: While Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh is trying to widen his congrol over Congress party leaders, he is facing another challenge from Prashant Kishore, the election contractor from Bihar who is hired by Congress to draw election strategy for 2017 assembly elections.
Prashant Kishorer, credited with chalking out poll strategy of Prime Minister Narender Modi and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has got a snub from Capt Amarinder Singh who asked him not to go beyond brief given to him. Prashant Kishor who is directly communicating with AICC Vice President Rahul Gandhi is reportedly taking all decisions of issue to be rtaken during the election and shortlisting winning candidates. Kishore reporteldy had a meeting with Jagmeet Singh Brar and Bir Devinder Singh, both expelled from Congress when Capt Amarinder Singh was abroad. The media reports about the meeting, infuriated Amarinder who made his anger public through media. Kishore understood to have explained his meeting was part of strategy to discredit Brar and Bir Devinder in public eye.
Prashant Kishore had launched 'Coffee with Amarinder' programme and also crafted the campaign of 'Punajb Da Captain' to boost sagging image of Capt Amarinder Singh. Punjab Congress would face the assembly elections in January 2017 after tasting two successice defeats under Amarinder Singh in 2007 and 2012. The 2017 assembly election is a litmus test for Capt Amarinder Singh who may see end of his political career, if lost the election. In 207 and 2012 Congress was locked in direct fight with SAD-BJP alliance but the equations are changed this time due to strong presence of Aam Aadmi Party(AAP).
The presence of Kishore in Punjab and his interfernece in the election strategy understood to have undermined the credibility of Capt Amarinder Singh who is blaming AAP for handing over command of Punjab to non-Punjabis. His objection is mainly to Sanjay Singh AAP general secretary who also incidently hails from Bihar, the native place of Prashant Kishore. Second, the aspirants of tickets would look towards Prashant Kishor for favour as is the case with AAP leaders who run after Sanjay Singh.
Would Prashant Kishore help Congress win Punjab Congress ? Do he undertands People of Punjab better than Capt Amarinder Singh and other senior leaders ? Was the lack of strategy in 2007 and 2012 assembly elections was responsbile for defeat of Congress ? How Prashant Kishore would counter the public assumption that Congress and SAD has a secret pact ? Why people shall not try the third alternative in 2017 when both main stream parties, ruling turn wise, have failed to mitigate the problems rather complicated the propblems ? What if names of Congress leaders also figured in the list of drug peddlers in an case going on in the Punjab and Haryana High Court and Why Capt Amarinder Singh opposed the CBI probe into synthetic drug racket ?
Their are long list of questions in the public mind which needs to be addressed by Prashant Kishore. As Capt Amarinder Singh has mentioned in contect of AAP leaders that Punjabis dont like interference of outsiders, the public sentiemnts would be same if Prashant Kishor runs the affairs of Punjab Congress. Kishore is not a member of Congress party since he is still advisor to Nitish Kumar and also advising Narender Modi in personal capacity.
The facr remains that Rajiv Gandhi had refrained from announcing the name of Capt Amarinder as candidate of Chief Minister on the advice of Prashant Kishore. The party high command also reportedly refused Rajya Sabha ticket to Hans Raj Hans on the advice of Prashant Kishore. Capt Amarinder Singh needs to assert his position in the party to tight the loose ends.
Congress has lost its major vote bank to other parties in the last ten years. Anti-incumbency votes are only hope for the Congress. The emergence of AAP in Punjab is also attributed to strong anti-incumbency votes. Would Congress be successful in tranferring anti-incumbency votes from AAP is the key of party's performance. Any half hearted effort would result in third term for SAD-BJP alliance. He would be facing a threat from party rebels who were main factor for party's defeat in 2012. Some of the rebels were allegedly supported and financed by SAD. Three cornered contests might divide the opposition votes and it may bring disaster for Punjab.