Prashant Kishor, the election consultant associated with several victorious election campaigns, is set to work with JDU in Jharkhand preparing party strategies for the year-end Assembly polls. Kishor, who holds the post of national vice-president, has been directed by JDU national president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to strengthen party in tribal State.
Kishor, who has been instrumental in victories for different parties and leaders, keeping a tab on JDU in Jharkhand assumes importance as party has already stated that they will not be in alliance with ruling BJP in Jharkhand. JDU, the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s party, is an alliance with BJP in Bihar.
JDU State president, Salkhan Murmu said, “As Kishor is party national vice president, our national president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has asked Kishor and his organisation I-PAC which is a political platform of young professionals to help the party in Jharkhand.” I-PAC carries out a range of election related consultancy services to different political parties in preparing election campaign strategy and focus areas.
Kishor gains prominence in 2014, when he prepared election strategy for BJP leading to Saffron party thumping victory. A year later, he shifted to then arch-rival Nitish Kumar and played a bridge for the JDU-RJD-Congress Mahagathbandhan which defeated BJP lead NDA in Bihar Assembly election in 2015. More recently, Kishor proved his mastery after he propelled the YSR Congress of YSR Jagan Mohan Reddy to power in Andhra Pradesh. Also, Kishor’s organisation I-PAC is set to work with Mamata Banerjee for the 2021 Assembly polls.
Murmu said, “I have met Kishor twice first in Patna and second time in Delhi. Moreover, two of his representatives have visited Ranchi few days back and discussed strategy for strengthening party in Jharkhand.”
The JDU State president also said that as the party has decided to contest year-end Assembly election in Jharkhand alone we have started preparations for election. As part of poll-preparations the JDU has decided to make at least six members from every village. Murmu said, “The party believes in strengthening at village level. We are going to voters highlighting our strength and alternative to BJP and JMM in State.”
After the rout of Mahagathbandhan in Lok Sabha, the Opposition space in Jharkhand is vacant and in such a situation, JDU can play a big role. The JDU strategy is to highlight the work done by Nitish Kumar and the turnaround Bihar has witnessed in last one and half decades after Nitish came to power overthrowing RJD in 2004.
The JDU in Jharkhand is also going to bank on work done by Nitish Kumar such as improvement of law and order, women empowerment, improvement in power and road sector.