Poll strategist Prashant Kishor on Thursday took a jibe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying the party lost more than 90 per cent of elections in the last 10 years and its leadership is "not the divine right" of an individual. This is perhaps Prashant's sharpest attack on Rahul. It comes close on the heels of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee's swipe at the Congress wherein she said that 'there is no United Progressive Alliance (UPA) now'.
"The IDEA and SPACE that #Congress represents is vital for a strong opposition. But Congress' leadership is not the DIVINE RIGHT of an individual especially, when the party has lost more than 90% elections in the last 10 years. Let opposition leadership be decided Democratically," Prashant said in a tweet.
Prashant is currently lobbying for the TMC for the upcoming Goa Assembly elections. A video clip of Kishor speaking during a private meeting in Goa is widely being circulated on the internet. He can be heard as saying that the BJP will remain at the centre of Indian politics and will not go anywhere for the "next many decades" irrespective of whether it wins or loses. He also took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for "thinking" that people will throw the BJP away immediately.
"BJP is going to be the centre of Indian polity whether they win, whether they lose, like it was for the first 40 years for Congress, BJP is going nowhere. Once you secure 30 per cent plus votes at the India-level, you are not going away in a hurry. So, do not ever get into this trap that people are getting angry and they will throw away (PM Narendra) Modi," Kishor is heard saying in the video.
"Maybe, they will throw away Modi, but BJP is not going anywhere. They are going to be here, you have to fight it out for the next many decades. It's not going in a hurry," Kishor said.
Referring to Rahul Gandhi, he said, "That is where the problem lies with Rahul Gandhi. Probably, he thinks it's just a matter of time that people will throw him (Modi) away. That's not happening."
Prashant's remark sparked a sharp response from the Congress with party spokesperson Pawan Khera saying on Twitter, "The individual being discussed here is pursuing his Divine Duty to struggle and save Indian democracy from the RSS. A professional without ideological commitment is free to advice parties/individuals on how to contest elections but he cannot set the agenda of our politics."
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