Bengal in Kitty, Prashant Kishor Keeps Up Suspense Around Future Role

Political strategist Prashant Kishor, who was a detrimental force behind Trinamool Congress’ campaign in West Bengal for the 2021 Assembly Elections, opened up about the party’s landslide victory. The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC has till now acquired 144 wins (218 leads) and needs 147 for clear majority.

Talking to CNN News18, Kishor said, “It is very difficult to say why we have won so big, but people wanted to get Mamata one more term.” About BJP’s loss in the elections despite a grand campaign, he said, “Just because Central ministers come an campaign does not guarantee a win. They had huge resources, but that is not enough to win elections.”

He further said, “The insider outsider debate is not a factor. You need to have many things to go right for you to win a state as big as WB. BJP’s campaign was an extension of 2019. They repeated the same strategy while TMC course corrected. There was no change in Bengal’s narrative. There was nothing positive.”

He also added that the fight for Bengal was between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. “The fight was between Didi and Modi, it was never about any other leader,” he said.

“Difficult to say which of our moves paid off the best, but we wanted to convey to the people that they should vote for Bengal’s daughter,’ he added.

However, despite TMC’s win, Kishor said that he does not want to work for any party. “I am done with this work. I am taking a break. I won’t be working for party A and party B,” he said.

“I failed miserably in politics. I shall learn a few more things. I am quitting this space,” he told CNN News18.

Kishor has previously worked with BJP in 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar in 2016 State Elections and Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh in 2017. In 2019, he worked with Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy and Shiv Sena in AP and Maharashtra State Elections respectively.

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