Congress veterans sceptical about PK

Between us

The “PK” debate within the Congress continues and even though the party leadership appears inclined to induct the poll strategist into the organisation in a key role, several veterans are sceptical about the move and believe that he could be the BJP’S mole.

Prashant Kishor’s conduct, as per reports circulating in political circles, is extremely suspicious because on one hand he is trying to convince the high command on ways and means to strengthen the party, on the other, he is understood to have met several younger leaders and has urged them to float their own party by the name of Indian People’s Congress.

However, his presentation and advice to the Central leadership needs to be properly authenticated since a lot of news featuring him was on hearsay and thus could be inaccurate. There are those within the party who have also welcomed his candidness while dealing with the high command and are convinced that he was in the envious position of even telling the Gandhis their faults, something which no Congress leader can afford to do.

Sources claim that PK has told the Gandhis that they should not worry about the expenses of the 2024 Parliamentary polls as he had a fool proof plan to help in funding the election. Now this itself, if true, should arouse suspicion since why would anyone volunteer to pick up the tab unless he has some vested interest in the exercise.

PK is understood to have told the Gandhis that he would negotiate with leaders such as Jaganmohan Reddy, M.K. Stalin, Akhilesh Yadav, Naveen Patnaik, Tejashwi Yadav and Mamata Banerjee to leave some seats for the Congress nominees to contest in their respective states. This seems totally unbelievable because for instance, Jaganmohan Reddy would never have anything to do with the Congress which had humiliated him after his father’s death in 2009.

Similarly, Akhilesh is extremely cut up with the Gandhis and has vowed to ensure that they are defeated in both Amethi and Rae Bareli, where he plans to set up his own candidates for the 2024 polls. Naveen Patnaik and Mamata Banerjee would never concede an inch to the Congress, unless, they derive some major benefit from this relationship.

The PK doctrine is flawed on many counts as it seeks to strengthen the Congress in the next few years. The emphasis should be on how to weaken the BJP since if that happens, the Congress would automatically be strengthened. There are reports which suggest that he does not wish Rahul Gandhi to be the PM face of the Congress. However, the question is that who is going to make Rahul the PM face in the first place.

The Congress has to get into three digits, if it has to offer any kind of challenge to the BJP. As things stand today, the party may not even be the single largest party in Lok Sabha if the slide continues. The Congress is gasping for breath and the Gandhis are unable to resuscitate it.

The outsourcing of the Congress to someone who has no ideology is dangerous; PK has been with the BJP, Janata Dal (United), Trinamool Congress and several other parties’ at different times. Thus, his being non-aligned so far as his political philosophy goes, makes him into a political mercenary who is bent upon creating confusion in the political space, which would eventually be to the advantage of the BJP.

Another vital question that needs to be asked of PK is that why he is not looking at issues which are there in the immediate future. For instance, the BJP is short of numbers for the Presidential election, slated for July and if he has the good of the Congress in mind, he should work towards Opposition unity.

It must be remembered that it was the index of Opposition unity way back in 1989, which had contributed to the defeat of the Congress, five years after it had surpassed the improbable mark of 400 seats in the Lok Sabha. The Left and the Right had both adjusted their politics to assist the Janata Dal whose campaign was spearheaded by Vishwanath Pratap Singh.

PK is merely creating further divisions within the Congress. According to some reports, he had spoken to Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister, Bhupesh Baghel to impress on them to provide greater financial assistance to the Congress Party. His proposal to the high command is that every project which is cleared by the state governments where Congress was in power should be vetted by the party and only then should it be cleared by the authorities.

In a paradoxical move, PK also had meetings with Deependra Hooda, Jayant Chaudhury and Sachin Pilot and told them that the Congress had no future. However, what needs to be understood is that why would he be so interested in reviving the 137-year-old party, whose leadership is responsible for putting it in a position where it is.

PK is an outsider for the Congress and his induction would further erode the party from within since with him there, a new power centre would also become a reality, adding to the chaos.

Indira Gandhi’s political adviser, Makhan Lal Fotedar had in his memoirs six years ago predicted that the Congress had reached a cul-de-sac and would find it extremely difficult to revive itself. His logic, Sonia is not Indira and Rahul is not Sanjay. Prophetic words indeed. Between us.