Poll strategist and Jan Suraaj Party co-ordinator Prashant Kishor has praised Rahul Gandhi for his role in reviving the Congress party in the Lok Sabha elections 2024. Kishore, who appeared on the iconic TV show 'Aap Ki Adalat' hosted by India TV Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Rajat Sharma, said that Gandhi should be given the credit for Congress' revival.
When Rajat Sharma asked Kishor about the prospects of Gandhi emerging as a strong alternative to PM Modi, he said that the Congress leader still has to go miles, adding that Gandhi has established himself as the leader of Congress but has a long way to go to become the leader of the country.
Kishor said, "As a leader, Gandhi has miles to go before he reaches a stage where we can say that he has indeed arrived. But yes, Congress as a party has done better than most people expected, including me, and to that extent, we must give credit to Gandhi. In this election, he has established himself as the leader of Congress, and none others can claim that stature in the party for the next five to ten years. But to establish himself as a leader of the country, he has a long way to go."
'Winning 90 seats is one thing, 260 is another': Kishor
He said that winning 99 seats is one thing, but winning 250 to 260 seats is another. He elucidated his opinion by drawing parallels from Indira Gandhi. He gave an analogy about 1977 when then PM Indira Gandhi lost the Lok Sabha elections and Congress was reduced to 154 seats which is more than what Congress won under Rahul Gandhi in the 2024 elections. However, talking about the Congress party, he said, "Rahul should get the credit for bringing a revival of Congress."
'Opposition more cohesive now,' says Prashant Kishor
On the question of opposition, the poll strategist said, "The opposition now seems to be appearing more cohesive as a unit. This is a good thing for democracy. At least Parliament is having good debates. ..We should applaud their efforts in setting their own narrative in a coordinated manner."
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