Political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor has issued a cautionary statement to the Congress party, urging them not to mistake their recent victory in the Karnataka assembly polls as a guarantee of success in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Kishor, known for his role in election campaigns and the founder of the Indian Political Action Committee (IPAC), shared his views through ‘Jan Suraaj’, a political campaign launched in his home state of Bihar.
Highlighting historical precedents, Kishor reminded the Congress party that despite winning the Karnataka elections in 2013, they suffered defeat at the hands of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2014 Parliamentary elections. He further emphasized that the Congress party had also experienced a similar setback in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections after winning in three major states a year prior.
While congratulating the Congress on its success in Karnataka, Kishor cautioned party leaders and workers against drawing premature conclusions about their prospects in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. He cited instances such as the Samajwadi Party’s victory in Uttar Pradesh in 2012, which was followed by a sweeping victory for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the state during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, securing 73 out of 80 seats.
Kishor also referred to the 2013 Karnataka assembly elections, where the Congress secured a majority but performed poorly in the subsequent Lok Sabha polls, losing to the BJP. He highlighted a similar pattern in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh, where the Congress achieved success in the 2018 assembly polls but faced a dismal performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Prashant Kishor, known for handling campaigns for a diverse range of political leaders including Narendra Modi, Nitish Kumar, Arvind Kejriwal, M K Stalin, and Jaganmohan Reddy, recently concluded his statewide pada-yatra in Bihar due to a leg injury. Since then, he has been recuperating at an undisclosed location.
The 45-year-old political analyst made headlines after his involvement in the 2021 West Bengal assembly polls, where his client Mamata Banerjee secured a resounding victory. Following unsuccessful negotiations with top Congress leaders to revamp the party, Kishor launched ‘Jan Suraaj’ to pursue his political campaign.
Kishor’s cautionary message to Congress serves as a reminder that individual state victories do not necessarily guarantee success in national elections. As parties prepare for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, it remains to be seen how his insights and expertise will shape the political landscape in the coming years.
