Prashant Kishor should join Congress first, then give ideas, says Harish Rawat

Saturday, 16 October 2021Newsdesk

As suspense continues over poll strategist Prashant Kishor’s plans regarding the Congress, senior party leader and CWC member Harish Rawat has said he is welcome to join “as a worker” but cannot insist that the party should function in a particular manner after joining. The party cannot be “mortgaged” to a certain person or certain individual, however capable he is, Rawat said.

New Delhi, 16 October 2021

As per news report of The Indian Express, Speaking at an Idea Exchange session of The Indian Express, Rawat, an AICC general secretary, also expressed apprehension that the Trinamool Congress was “weakening” the Congress in election-going states by poaching its leaders. Mamata Banerjee’s moves are not going to help “Opposition unity” in “any way”, he said. Asked about Kishor, Rawat said: “Anybody who is an Indian citizen and who has faith in certain values of the freedom movement and the Congress can become a member (of the party). So can Prashant Kishor. We are always open to new ideas. But the party cannot be mortgaged to a certain person or certain individual… He may be a very, very capable person, but we cannot say that, ‘Baba, now you do some work on our behalf, we will stop working’. The Congress has a very democratic method of working… everybody has a role to play. If Prashant Kishor feels he can play an important role through the Congress, he is always welcome. But he will abide by our constitution, our tradition… that is also very clear in our mind.”

Source - The Indian Express