The resignation of political strategist Prashant Kishor from the post of Principal Advisor to Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh is being considered as a big setback for Captain.
In fact, the Chief Minister was relying a lot on PK for 2022 because it was PK who not only played a key role in Congress's victory in 2017 but also helped Captain in achieving political mileage as ‘Captain is Congress’ in Punjab.
Captain had given PK a cabinet rank by appointing him as his principal advisor on March 1, in view of the 2022 assembly elections. There was doubt in Punjab about the PK ever since the results of the West Bengal assembly elections were announced, as the PK refused to strategize any political party.
PK's resignation is being considered as a setback for the Captain because already Congress politics in Punjab seems to be divided between Captain and Navjot Singh Sidhu. The Congress had handed over the command of the state head to Sidhu without the consent of the Captain.
At the same time, there is also an important aspect that there is a link between PK Captain and Sidhu because PK had played an important role in bringing Sidhu to Congress, while PK was also Captain's principal strategist.
In such a situation, it was believed that this time too, PK can play an important role in erasing the distance between Captain and Sidhu.
Amid infighting in the Congress party, the next assembly elections would be an acid test not only for the party but for Captain also. After Sidhu’s elevation to the state head, the undercurrent is that he can be the face of the chief minister's post by 2022.
Though it has been clarified by the party that in the next assembly elections, Captain would be their CM face but with the change in political equations, anything can happen in politics at any moment.
Moreover, the desecration case and police firing at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura, which were strong political weapons of the Congress in 2017 is now firing back, as several Congress ministers are accusing Captain Amarinder Singh of deliberately not taking any effective step in the sacrilege case. Navjot Singh Sidhu is also raising this issue vigorously.
In such a situation, the Captain was confident that in time, PK could not only neutralize this issue with his strategy but could also formulate the strategy of Congress in the assembly.
This was the reason that the Captain not only made him the Principal Advisor but also gave him the rank of Cabinet. PK had also held two meetings with the officials and MLAs as the Principal Advisor.
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However, the Chief Minister's Office did not confirm that PK has resigned from the post of Principal Advisor to the Chief Minister. At the same time, PK has indicated that he may not plan a strategy for any political party, but his company I-PAC will continue to work in the political arena.
By Dinesh K Sharma