Prashant Kishor says Rahul Gandhi should take a break from politics.
"I think the Modi 3.0 government will start with a bang. There will be more concentration of both power and resources with the Centre. There might also be a significant attempt to curtail the financial autonomy of the states," poll pundit Prashant Kishor said.
He said the third term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi could see petroleum being brought under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and significant curbs on the financial autonomy of states.
Kishor, who worked with BJP and also other parties, predicted structural and operation changes to the anti-corruption narrative of the Modi government (Modi 3.0)
Kishor, who managed Narendra Modi's campaign in 2014, said there was no widespread anger against the Prime Minister and the BJP would win around 303 seats.
Asked how could Congress improve its performance in the future, Prashant Kishor replied -- "Improvement only comes after one realises that they lack something and need to improve."
The grand old party should get rid of and move beyond the 'status quo' as far as the party leadership is concerned.
He said "ignorance, laziness, arrogance" were ailing the Congress. He advised Rahul Gandhi to take a break from politics for a brief period.
Prashant Kishor went on to add that another possibility behind the present condition of the Congress is that they are 'way too ignorant' about what all is going on in Indian politics and what needs to be done in order for it to improve.
Sharing his own personal view about the Congress, Kishor said "I think it's a combination of all three (ignorance, laziness, arrogance) that, first, the Congress is not necessarily understanding as to why people do not vote for it when it comes to elections.
Second, even if they understand, they are lazy enough to not make an effort to make course corrections.
Third is the arrogance that they feel like even if people are not voting for them, they will realise their mistake someday and will eventually vote for the party."
He went on to explain that the status quo suggests there is 'mental ignorance, mental or intellectual laziness or arrogance' (in the way Congress has been conducting itself on the Indian political scene.)
"It's like someone is of the firm view that they are on the right path, but the people are probably not able to understand what they are doing", he elaborated.
On Rahul Gandhi's political future, the political strategist said that it does not matter whether the Congress wins or loses, the Gandhi scion is going to stay at the helm of affairs in the Congress and, invariably, there will be advisors who would always back and justify every decision he takes, no matter what.
Prashant Kishor further added that Rahul Gandhi was always the centre point of Congress in all Lok Sabha elections in 2014, 2019 and even 2024, irrespective of who is officially the president of the party.
"That is a fact and the Congress should believe it and should not swipe it under the carpet", he said.
He also predicted that the Centre could delay the devolution of resources to states and make Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) norms tighter. The FRBM Act, enacted in 2003, puts a cap on the annual budget deficits of states.
"The centre may delay the devolution of resources and off budget borrowing of states will be made tighter," Kishor predicted. He also predicted that India's assertiveness will increase while dealing with geopolitical issues.
"At the global level, India's assertiveness will increase while dealing with countries. There is chatter among diplomats of an aggressive Indian diplomacy bordering on being arrogant," he said.
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