PK-Architect Behind Successful CMs’ Campaigns

Specialist in Prashant Kishor is a force to reckon with in political circles, in general, and candidates aspiring to climb the ladder to chief ministerial post, in particular.

The political strategist carved a niche for himself spearheading political campaigns that catapulted his clients to the chief minister kursi.

His Midas touch helped a few of his clients clinch the CM post for the first time like Andhra Pradesh’s Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and Tamil Nadu’s M.K. Stalin.

PK rose to prominence with his political campaign for none other Narendra Modi. Since then, he has been the most sought after political strategist what with even the senior politicians, having vast experience in politicking and being the CMs for more than 10 years, vying to hire him for their poll campaigns.

Recently, PK met NCP leader Sharad Pawar and there is speculation that he is on Mission 2024, trying to unite anti-BJP forces together was for next general elections. There is information that PK would soon meet KCR and his son KTR too in Telangana.

Seven years ago, PK ensured that his client – Modi’s image grew multi-fold through his anti-UPA campaign and it was then that he made his foray into politics. He played on the religious sentiment and many Hindus supported Modi, who went on to become a strong leader in the country.

PK established Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), India’s first and largest cross-party political advocacy group. Having led a successful campaign for Modi, PK proclaimed himself as a political consultant.

YCP supremo Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who lost the 2014 election, hired PK for the 2019 elections and registered a landslide victory. This campaign gave wide publicity to PK and more party presidents showed interest in hiring him for their electioneering.

Before Jagan hiring him, PK is learnt to have expressed readiness to campaign for TDP supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu and that he demanded Rs 350 crore. However, Naidu stepped back on the deal..

In addition to PK’s strategy, leaders at the Centre and in the neighbouring state too played a role in Jagan’s victory.

PK worked for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, DMK supremo M.K. Stalin in the recently-concluded elections and voila, the duo adorned the CM chairs.

Notwithstanding the hurdles posed in her way by Modi-led BJP, Mamata hit a hat-trick. The long wait and struggle of Stalin also bore fruit.

Political analysts say that PK wins the game by playing the caste and religious cards, after carefully studying the demography of his client’s territory.

PK identifies the weaknesses of the public and tries to play on their sentimental feelings, they said. By pushing the people into a hysteric psychology, PK plans his strategic moves to favour his client. For Modi, he used the religious card and for Jagan, PK used the caste card.

At the same time, political experts warn that there could be the danger of people getting divided on caste and religious lines due to such campaigns which can spell doom to the country.