Amid buzz over Prashant Kishor joining the Congress, the poll strategist on Monday met the Grand Old Party president Sonia Gandhi for the second time in three days. Monday’s meeting was for a planning session on the upcoming assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. 

The Congress is considering a proposal from Kishor for the revival of the party before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and is expected to respond to that before the end pf this month. On Saturday, Kishor gave a detailed presentation on Mission 2024 before a select group of Congress leaders. 

On Monday, he discussed with Gandhi the planning for the assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, which are slated to held later this year, and the elections in Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, due next year. 

Meanwhile, a separate meeting of top Congress leaders was also held at Sonia Gandhi’s residence to deliberate on the party’s strategy for the assembly polls in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh slated for later this year. Senior Congress leaders KC Venugopal, Ambika Soni, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Mukul Wasnik, Jairam Ramesh, P Chidambaram and Randeep Singh Surjewala were among those present.

During the strategy group meeting that lasted over four hours, the leaders discussed threadbare various facets of the party’s electoral strategy. However, Kishor wasn’t present at that meeting.

Venugopal had indicated about the formation of the group that would discuss Kishor’s plan for the upcoming assembly and parliamentary elections and give suggestions and its report to the Congress president for further action.

Sources said Kishor had given this long-term strategy for the Congress’ revival before the top party leadership.

With an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he is understood to have told the leadership to focus on 365-370 parliamentary seats alone and strengthen its base in these constituencies.

Kishor has suggested that the party contest alone in a few state assembly elections where it is strong and has remained either on the top or in the second position in previous elections. 

Kishor is said to be eager to work with the Congress. The party recently brought in one of his former colleagues as a strategist for Karnataka. 

The Indian Express quoted sources said the leaders asked Kishor to join the party formally — this would prevent him from working with other parties as a poll consultant, a major concern for a section of the leadership.

Sources said Kishor was open to the idea of joining the Congress — in the past, he consistently denied any such plan.

Some of the leaders said Kishor told the meeting he was ready to join the Congress without expectations and demands but wanted his road map implemented to help strengthen the party at the grassroots level.

Sources said he wants the Congress to concentrate on some 370 Lok Sabha constituencies, nuance its political messaging, revamp its communication apparatus and address certain organisational weaknesses.