Where Is Prashant Kishor?

Popular Political Strategist Prashant Kishor turned politician and contested in the recent Bihar elections by floating his own political party. But then, his Jan Suraaj party drew a blank in that election.

Probably, that has taken a beating on Prashant Kishor’s image too. Currently, elections are happening to five states but PK is not seen anywhere.

Polling has already concluded in three of these states. With voting now complete in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry, people are eagerly awaiting the results. Meanwhile, the fervor surrounding the assembly elections in the key states of Tamil Nadu and West Bengal is generating nationwide interest.

Five years ago, Prashant Kishor served as the election strategist for the parties currently in power in these two states. At that time, he earned significant credit for steering the DMK and the Trinamool Congress to victory in those states.

But despite heavy competition in those states, both DMK and Trinamool Congress chose not to avail his services.

Rumors initially circulated that Thalapathy Vijay who recently launched a new political party in Tamil Nadu had held discussions regarding the election strategies of PK. Vijay even brings PK to TVK’s key meeting. However, it is now said that PK is no longer in the picture in Tamil Nadu, as Vijay subsequently chose to give his services a pass.

Prashant Kishor’s I-PAC which he now claims he is not associated was also named in the West Bengal Coal Scam.

The ED is investigating alleged hawala transactions and money laundering under the PMLA, claiming proceeds from the coal scam in West Bengal were routed to various entities, including I-PAC.

The allegation is that a multi-crore coal pilferage racket in Eastern Coalfields Limited mines by the Mamata Banerjee Government and I-PAC is also beneficiaries of the proceeds for its services to Trinamool Congress in the elections.

Many believe that I-PAC may have worked again for Trinamool if not for this scam and ED investigation. The BJP-led Central Government may have locked out Prashant Kishor from Bengal using this case.

In other states, his failure in Bihar elections may have also played a party.

There were rumors that he is guiding Kalvakuntla Kavitha’s yet-to-be announced party but she denied that.