Prashant Kishor On Rahul Gandhi’s Yatra: “Should Have Started From…”

Nagpur: Former political strategist Prashant Kishore said on Tuesday that Congress may start its ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ from Gujarat or a BJP-ruled state.
He spoke at a meeting organized with local leaders and activists for the achievement of a separate Vidarbha state.

Kishore told PTI that it would have been better if the Congress had started its Bharat Jodo Yatra from Gujarat, where elections are due later this year, or from other BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

The trip led by Rahul Gandhi started from Tamil Nadu.

Notably, Mr Kishore was rumored to join the Congress earlier this year, but later said he turned down an offer to head its election strategy.

Interacting with pro-Vidarbha supporters, he called upon the people of the region to work together to realize the dream of a separate state.

Former BJP MLA Ashish Deshmukh had organised the programme to formulate a strategy to achieve statehood for the eastern Maharashtra region.

“If people have hope, then the idea of a separate Vidarbha state can be pursued,” Mr Kishor said.

“The agitation should reach the Centre. It should have a national impact. The campaign should emerge from society,” he added.

He has stopped working as a political strategist and wants to work for people and not for any party, Mr Kishor said.