Why The TRS-I-PAC Pact Is Unlikely To Blow The Congress-Prashant Kishor Deal

According to a poll strategist and founder of I-PAC, the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) will continue to operate without Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi. The I-PAC no longer has Prashant Kishor as a member. 

The Congress-Prashant Kishor discussions are on track. The possibility of the Indian Political Action Committee [I-PAC] striking a professional arrangement with the ruling Telangana Rashtriya Samiti for the Telangana Assembly elections in December 2024 is unlikely to affect Kishor’s entrance into the grand old party. 

This is due to several factors. Sonia Gandhi’s 10, Janpath, is actively evaluating the advice from many party leaders who support Kishor’s formal admission into the Congress.

Instead of creating a new or fancy job, several party stalwarts have advised the Gandhi trio — Sonia, Rahul, and Priyanka — to add Kishor to the current Organisational structure.

Kishor’s ideas to restructure and Reorganise the Congress and prepare for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections have been approved by Congress leaders of all stripes. 

It’s worth noting that during his meeting with AICC interim leader Sonia Gandhi, the election strategist and creator of I-PAC made it plain that the Indian Political Action Committee [I-PAC] will continue to exist.

Kishor is no longer a member of I-PAC, a well-known election management firm, as an office bearer, promoter, or shareholder. According to reports, the two parties agreed that trust and openness were critical to success. 

 THE CONGRESS IS UNCONCERNED ABOUT THE PK-KCR MEETING. 

Surprisingly, Kishor’s alleged meeting with Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is not causing worry at 10, Janpath. Kishor is now free to communicate with any leader because the scope of party discipline and other rules will not apply to him until he joins Congress.

But, more crucially, anytime the two sides [Congress and Kishor] get together, meeting or engaging with non-NDA party leaders [some may say, even certain NDA partners] is likely to be on ‘Congressman Prashant Kishor’s plate.  

Kishor has shown an interest in meeting with several Chief Ministers, including Mamata Banerjee, MK Stalin, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Uddhav Thackeray, and K Chandrashekar Rao, and other regional satraps with whom he had previously worked.

Meeting these politicians, who control over 100 Lok Sabha seats, was courteous and strategic. Kishor told Sonia Gandhi that he expects to put them to good use in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, which will need a comprehensive and tacit accord among non-BJP/non-NDA parties.  

According to party insiders, both Sonia Gandhi and Kishor are aware of attempts to sabotage the Congress-PK accord from within and outside the party. The in-house elements are said to be those who see Kishor as a potential danger.

Senior Congress officials recognize that it would be foolish and reckless to call off the negotiations on a shaky foundation after coming this far. Furthermore, the leadership of Congress does not appear to have a Plan B for 2024. Some would say the same thing about Kishor. 

In summary, the ball is in the hands of 10, Janpath. If Kishor receives a formal invitation, he will comply. 

Published By: Sachin Sonawane