Prashant Kishor resigns as principal advisor to Punjab CM Amarinder Singh ahead of polls

Election strategist Prashant Kishor has resigned as Principal Adviser to Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh ahead of the polls. Kishor has said that he wants to take a 'temporary break from active role in public life'.

"As you are aware, in view of my decision to take a temporary break from active role in public life, I have not been able to take over the responsibilities as your Principal Advisor. Since I am yet to decide on my future course of action, I write to request you to kindly relieve me from this responsibility," he said in a letter to Amarinder.

Earlier in March this year, Amarinder Singh had appointed Kishor as his principal advisor. He was given the rank and status of a Cabinet Minister. The government had said that Kishor will get Re 1 per month as a token honorarium and would be entitled to perks including a government residence, half a dozen staff members, free transport, free air travel, telephone and medical facilities.

Prashant Kishor had during the 2017 Assembly polls worked with Amarinder Singh. The grand old party had stormed to power, dethroning then ruling SAD.

Prashant Kishor's resignation comes amidst reports about him firming up ties with the Congress ahead of next year's Assembly polls in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur will also go polls early next year. Kishor recently met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, triggering talks that he could join the grand old party. It is believed that the two leaders had discussed the revival of Congress. Sources told India TV earlier that Rahul Gandhi in party meetings had sought the opinion of the leaders on the inclusion of Kishor in the party.

Kishor had earlier met Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and party interim president Sonia Gandhi.

As a political strategist, Kishor worked with many parties to win the elections. Notably, he played an instrumental role in strategizing Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) campaign in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections after which Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister. He helped Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar to win the Assembly polls in 2015. Following this, Kumar appointed Kishor as the vice president of JD-U. However, Kishor was expelled from JD-U in January 2020 over his disagreement with the party on the issue of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).