Election strategist Prashant Kishor, who has helped propel several politicians to election victories, will now work with Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh. On Monday, Singh took to Twitter to announce that Kishor has joined him as his Principal Advisor, nearly 12 months before the northern state goes to polls.
“Happy to share that @PrashantKishor has joined me as my Principal Advisor. Look forward to working together for the betterment of the people of Punjab!” Singh tweeted on Monday.
Confirming the appointment, the Government of Punjab posted in Twitter: “Punjab Cabinet clears the appointment of Shri @PrashantKishor as Principal Advisor to the Chief Minister @capt_amarinder Singh in the rank and status of a Cabinet Minister.”
As per the order of the Department of General Administration, Kishor, among other amenities, will get a fully furnished government residence and camp office as admissible to a Cabinet Minister, and will be provided conveyance by the state transport commissioner. He will also get an Executive Class travel in train/by air as admissible to a Cabinet Minister.
Congress came to power in Punjab in March 2017 with 77 seats in the 117-member state assembly, displacing the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-BJP combine. However, back then Singh reportedly decided to keep Kishor ‘at bay’ in the state, expressing ‘open disdain’ for his ways, especially for campaigns such as ‘Coffee with Captain.’ Also, as per reports, the Congress leader did not care to complete several programmes designed by Kishor’s team to project Singh as the ‘leader of the state.’ This after Kishor and his team ‘rubbed several leaders the wrong way’ in Uttar Pradesh, where the party suffered a drubbing.
Kishor, who is currently working with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee ahead of the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections, earlier played a significant role in Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party’s victory in the 2014 general elections. He is also a former ally of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. Last year, he helped Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal in getting re-elected as the chief minister of Delhi.
Kishor is also working with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its president MK Stalin for the forthcoming Tamil Nadu assembly elections. Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is also a former client of Kishor.
(With inputs from agencies)