With poll fever, Prashant Kishor in demand in Telugu states

(This story originally appeared in on Feb 21, 2022)

HYDERABAD: Election fever has already gripped various political parties in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh as it is increasingly becoming clear that either political strategist and tactician Prashant Kishor or his former associates will play a big role in deciding the electoral fortunes of leaders in both Telugu states. Except BJP, major regional parties are certainly going to rely on Prashant Kishor’s expertise or his former associates’ tips. Prashant Kishor, who is known as PK, is preparing to guide the ruling TRS in Telangana and the ruling YSR Congress in AP. Though he is not directly involved, YS Sharmila’s YSR Telangana Party is already receiving some tactical knowhow and support from his team.If sources are to believed, CM and TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao is keen to utilise the services of PK in 2023 assembly elections to decimate the BJP which fancies itself to dethrone the TRS in Telangana.

N Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP, the main opposition in AP, has already enlisted the services of Robin Sharma, a former associate of PK. But, Sharma has now been replaced by another former associate of PK, it is learnt. It appears that PK’s strategy in Telangana will be to divide the majority vote in order to favour the ruling TRS, a political analyst said.PK, who has already delivered a spectacular success to Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSRCP in the 2019 elections in AP, was later hired by MK Stalin-led DMK in Tamil Nadu where he came out trumps again. Even after winning the election in AP, PK’s team was engaged with the YSRCP and continues to provide feedback on various welfare schemes and other social media campaigns. PK’s poll plans in AP were largely based on social media.“Political parties look out for poll strategists like PK for two reasons. Lack of a systematic organisational structure in regional parties compels them to seek professional assistance. Apart from advising parties on major election plans, these strategists conduct surveys to ascertain the mood of the people on the fortunes of these parties,” political analyst S Ramakrishna explained.