Unpredictable poll strategist Prashant Kishor has on Thursday resigned as the principal advisor to Punjab CM Amarinder Singh. The resignation comes barely months ahead of the upcoming assembly elections early next year.

In a letter to Amarinder, he said: “As you are aware, in view of my decision to take a temporary break from my 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.” Sources say that Prashant Kishore was given cabinet rank, but he never really has worked in that capacity.

Sources say that this shows Prashant Kishors’s focus on the Presidential elections next year and on the 2024 election, where he is planning to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is also likely that he is going to focus on bringing all non-BJP parties onto one platform to take on Modi. Sources close to him said that with his focus fully on the national politics and especially on 2024 elections, he felt that there was no use getting involved in state-level elections.

However, this decision is bound to rankle Amarinder Singh, who is facing a tough battle ahead especially because of the tension-filled relationship with cricketer-turned politician Prashant Kishor. Amarinder is also facing anti-incumbency and the Akali-BSP alliance is bound to give him a tough fight.