Prashant Kishor's team in Gujarat to assess situation for Cong

New Delhi, April 7 (IANS) Ahead of the Gujarat polls, political strategist Prashant Kishor's team has landed in Gujarat to assess the situation for the Congress in the state, sources said. However, there is no clarity on Kishor joining the grand old party.

The Congress leadership has held at least two rounds of talks with the political strategist to work specifically for Gujarat where the party is out of power since 1989.

Sources in Gujarat Congress said that there was no formal tie up with the strategist, but the party is keen to have him on board and the central leadership would decide on the issue very soon.

Prashant Kishor did not respond to the messages about his team's involvement in Gujarat, the sources said, adding that he met the Gandhis several times within the last two weeks and talked about working with the party. But both sides are tight-lipped on the issue.

The issue of availing services of poll strategist Prashant Kishor in the Gujarat Assembly polls was discussed in a meeting of the state party leaders with Rahul Gandhi on March 24.

Since then the back-channel talks have been going on after the initial negotiations failed, but the Congress has denied this.

However, the party has taken on board a close aide of Kishor, to work for the party without any condition, as the joining of the political consultant was stalled by Congress leaders because he wanted a major say in ticket distribution.

The Congress is also wooing Naresh Patel, an influential Patidar leader and political strategist Prashant Kishor simultaneously for the Gujarat Assembly polls which are slated at the end of the year, sources had told IANS.

Congress leaders in Gujarat feel that Naresh Patel can ensure the party's win in the crucial Saurashtra region and Prashant Kishor can build a narrative and strategy for the party.