Prashant Kishor days after declining the Congress' 'generous offer' to join the party, the poll strategist said that the party is capable of revival on its own and does not need him.
While speaking to Aaj Tak, Prashant said, "The Congress leadership and I agreed on several things with regard to the party's future plan. But they can do it on their own, they have so man big leaders. They don't need me. They offered and I said no."
"What I wanted to tell them, I did. For the first time since 2014, the party has discussed its future in such a structured way... But I had some doubts about the Empowered Action Group that they wanted me to part of," he added.
Further speaking on the Congress' chances against the BJP in future, he said, "It is a very deep-rooted party. It would be wrong to say they don't stand a chance."
Kishor was asked by Congress president Sonia Gandhi to join the party and be a part of the Empowered Action Group-2024 and take care of its election strategy for upcoming polls.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Kishor declined the offer, adding the party appreciates his efforts and suggestions.
Within a few minutes of the Congress saying that Kishor has declined its offer, he took to Twitter and said the party needs a collective will to fix deep-rooted structural problems through reforms.
Kishor was keen to join the Congress and had desired to do so without any expectations. He had also made a presentation to the party on which its top leaders deliberated upon during the last week.
"Following a presentation and discussions with Prashant Kishor, the Congress president constituted the Empowered Action Group-2024 and invited him to join the party as part of the group with defined responsibility. He declined. We appreciate his efforts and suggestions given to the party," Surjewala said on Twitter announcing that Kishor has declined the offer.
Kishor had made a detailed presentation before top Congress leaders, which was discussed at length by senior leadership of the party, after which an offer was made to him.
Kishor has been engaged by Mamata Banerjee's TMC in West Bengal as well as Nitish Kumar's JD-U in Bihar for election management.
(with agency inputs)
