Prashant Kishor quits as Punjab CM's principal advisor

Poll strategist Prashant Kishor Thursday resigned as Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's principal advisor, saying he was taking "a temporary break from active role in public life".

Kishor's move comes with assembly polls in Punjab less than a year away.

Kishor had managed the Congress's successful campaign in the 2017 polls and devised programmes such as "Punjab Da Captain" and "Coffee with Captain" to drum up support for the party during the polls.

In a letter to the chief minister on Thursday, Kishor wrote, "In view of my decision to take a temporary break from active role in public life, I have not been able to take over the responsibilities as your Principal Advisor.

“Since I am yet to decide on my future course of action, I write to request you to kindly relieve me from this responsibility. I take this opportunity to thank you for considering me for this position," he wrote.

The chief minister had in March appointed Kishor as his principal advisor and given him the rank and status of a cabinet minister.

"Happy to share that @PrashantKishor has joined me as my Principal Advisor. Look forward to working together for the betterment of the people of Punjab!" Singh had tweeted in March.

A notification issued by the General Administration Department had said Kishor would take a token honorarium of Re 1.

As per terms and conditions of his appointment, Kishor's association with the chief minister was to be co-terminus with Singh's tenure.

Expected to draw Singh's campaign strategy for the 2022 polls, Kishor had in March held an interaction with Congress' first-time legislators to get their feedback on various issues including the implementation of poll promises.

He had earlier also held meetings with top aides of the Punjab chief minister, administrative secretaries and key officials of various departments.

Kishor, who managed Narendra Modi's campaign in the 2014 general election, also worked as a poll strategist with Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress in the West Bengal polls earlier this year.