Even as the Congress is grappling with infighting in its Punjab unit, political strategist Prashant Kishor set the political circles abuzz on Tuesday when he met former Congress president Rahul Gandhi at the latter’s residence in Delhi. Though the exact purpose of this meeting was not immediately clear, it is being assumed that this meeting was related to the solution of the crisis in Punjab Congress. Kishor has recently been appointed as advisor by Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amrinder Singh who is at loggerheads with another party leader and former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu. Kishor had handled the Congress poll campaign in the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls. The Congress in 2017 had won the election by bagging 77 seats in the 117-member Assembly.
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Punjab Congress in-charge Harish Rawat were also present in the meeting. Soon after the meeting, Harish Rawat told the reporters outside Rahul Gandhi’s residence: “In the next three to four days, you will get good news for both Sidhu and Amarinder Singh.” However Rawat claimed that Kishor and Rahul Gandhi’s meeting was not related to the Punjab issue. “Rahulji is a national leader. So many leaders meet him and convey their views. He takes input from different people. Prashant Kishor didn’t meet him to negotiate something regarding Punjab,” Rawat added.
Interestingly, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was supposed to leave for a visit to Lucknow on Tuesday which has now been postponed. On June 30, Sidhu had met Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for four hours and tweeted a photo with her. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had then reportedly facilitated his meeting with her brother, who had earlier told reporters he had no plans to meet the sulking
Even as the Congress is grappling with infighting in its Punjab unit, political strategist Prashant Kishor set the political circles abuzz on Tuesday when he met former Congress president Rahul Gandhi at the latter’s residence in Delhi. Though the exact purpose of this meeting was not immediately clear, it is being assumed that this meeting was related to the solution of the crisis in Punjab Congress. Kishor has recently been appointed as advisor by Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amrinder Singh who is at loggerheads with another party leader and former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu. Kishor had handled the Congress poll campaign in the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls. The Congress in 2017 had won the election by bagging 77 seats in the 117-member Assembly.
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Punjab Congress in-charge Harish Rawat were also present in the meeting. Soon after the meeting, Harish Rawat told the reporters outside Rahul Gandhi’s residence: “In the next three to four days, you will get good news for both Sidhu and Amarinder Singh.” However Rawat claimed that Kishor and Rahul Gandhi’s meeting was not related to the Punjab issue. “Rahulji is a national leader. So many leaders meet him and convey their views. He takes input from different people. Prashant Kishor didn’t meet him to negotiate something regarding Punjab,” Rawat added.
Interestingly, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was supposed to leave for a visit to Lucknow on Tuesday which has now been postponed. On June 30, Sidhu had met Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for four hours and tweeted a photo with her. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had then reportedly facilitated his meeting with her brother, who had earlier told reporters he had no plans to meet the sulking Punjab leader.
In another development, as Kishor was meeting with the Gandhis, Sidhu took to twitter to issue a clarification about him cozying up to the Aam Admi Party. Earlier, Sidhu had said in a tweet, “Our opposition AAP has always recognised my vision & work for Punjab. Be it before 2017- Beadbi, Drugs, Farmers Issues, Corruption & Power Crisis faced by People of Punjab raised by me or today as I present “Punjab Model”. It is clear they know-who is really fighting for Punjab.” WITH AGENCY INPUTS