Patna: Election strategist Prashant Kishor on Thursday announced he will embark on a 3,000-km pan-Bihar 'padyatra' (foot march) from October 2, Gandhi Jayanti, in order to understand the pulse of the people of the state. The leader, who last week indicated his second innings in politics, however, didn't announce his party. "I don't have a party, I don't have a platform, all I have is a thought... I am dedicating myself completely to the development of Bihar," Kishor said at a press conference.
"What is more important is to reach the people of Bihar, to reach every nook and corner of the state, to tell people about the concept of 'jan suraaj', to take their view point, to know their problems and aspirations -- for that, from October 2, I will embark on a 3,000 km pan-Bihar 'padyatra' from West Champaran's Gandhi Ashram," he said.
"In the next eight months to one year, I will try to meet as many people of Bihar as possible. We will knock at their doors, will reach their offices and will try to connect with them. We will take their feedback and include it in our programme," he added.
Prashant Kishor, a celebrated poll strategist who had helped BJP attain power at the Centre and Mamata Banerjee retain West Bengal, was recently in discussion with the Congress on an elaborate revival plan. According to reports, he suggested bolstering the party's internal democracy, appointing a non-Gandhi party president and considering contesting 400 out of 543 Lok Sabha seats. He was also mulling to join the party.
However, he later refused to join a committee formed by the Congress top brass to mull over his suggestions.
"I declined the generous offer of the Congress to join the party as part of the EAG and take responsibility for the elections. In my humble opinion, more than me, the party needs leadership and collective will to fix the deep-rooted structural problems through transformational reforms," he tweeted.
"Congress needs to decide how they want to function further, not me. They took whatever decision they deemed important and so did I. Congress doesn't need any Prashant Kishor, the party has even more capable people. They know what they have to d," he was quoted today as saying by the news agency ANI.
Earlier this week, Kishor indicated that he wants to be a "meaningful participant in democracy".
In 2018, Kishor joined Nitish Kumar's JDU but quit within months.
His announcement on Bihar last week was downplayed by JDU, BJP and RJD.
While Nitish Kumar said he had nothing to do with Kishor, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav made a sly comment saying he doesn't follow news about any election strategist.
Former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said making political strategy and building a connection with people are two different things.
