After Bengal victory, Prashant Kishor retires from election management

Prashant Kishor announced retirement from election management even as TMC inches closer to a massive victory in Bengal.

Prashant Kishor

India Today Web Desk. Kolkata, May 2, 2021:  As Trinamool Congress inches closer to a massive victory in Bengal, the man behind the party's success, poll strategist Prashant Kishor on Sunday announced his retirement from election management.

Talking exclusively with India Today TV, he said, "I have been thinking of quitting for too long and was looking for an opportunity, Bengal gave me that chance."

When asked about his political ambition, he said, "Joining politics has always been on the radar, I have been there and failed, but I must go back and rethink what I must do better."

However, he said, "I should hand over the baton to those who have been working with me, actual work has done by my colleagues and there is no better time than now to hand over the baton to someone."

For now, Prashant Kishor said he would like to enjoy a break and spend time with his family.

He had earlier said he would quit if BJP crossed 100 seats in the West Bengal Assembly Election.

WHERE DID THE BJP GO WRONG?

When asked about where possibly BJP went wrong. Prashant Kishor said, "BJP did not factor in the changes that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made on the ground and politically after her 'setback' in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls."

He said, "Programmes of the TMC such as 'Didi ke Bolo', 'Duare Sarkar', 'Paray Samadhan', were not spoken of much."

Prashant Kishor said because BJP did not pick up on the changes of the TMC under Mamata Banerjee's leadership, they were caught unaware. He said the BJP had a unidirectional approach and was not flexible with changing their strategy.

ON TURN COATS

Speaking about TMC political leaders who jumped ship and joined the BJP ahead of the elections, Kishor said they were rotten eggs.

He said, "Much importance was not given to the fact that those who left the TMC were rotten eggs that BJP took in. TMC was actually cleaning itself. Most of them who went to the BJP were turning out to be big liabilities for the TMC. They were being called game-changers, but most of them have turned out to nothing now.

ON POLARISATION

Prashant Kishor said that no matter how polarised an election is, no party can get more than 50 to 55 per cent of a community. In BJP strongholds, 50-55 per cent of Hindus voted for them but the TMC concentrated on the 45 per cent.

He also said 70 to 75 per cent of the minorities voted for the TMC.

He said, "We recognised that the Dalit community was with BJP and that made us do extensive work and outreach programmes to get back whatever we could."

WHERE IS CONGRESS GOING WRONG?

Prashant Kishor said it is important for Congress to rethink whether something is going wrong with the working of the party. He said, "It is about the willingness to accept that there is something wrong with my way of working. Willingness to do the course correction is important. Like Mamata Banerjee recognised what was needed to be done after her Lok Sabha setback, but Congress does not do that."

"Congress leaders still say there is nothing wrong. They are waiting for things to happen to them, all I am saying is that if they want to take on BJP they have to fight it."

MOST PARTIAL EC EVER

Prashant Kishor sharply criticised the Election Commission and said the poll body was an extension of the BJP. He said, "I have never seen a more partial EC. All political parties should come together and put pressure on the EC. The EC is completely partial, they have done everything to make BJP win. They have been working as an extension of the BJP."

He said, that the EC decided on eight phases in the Bengal elections to give time to BJP leaders to campaign before each and every phase. "Why did the seats that BJP won in the Lok Sabha go for polling in the early phases?" he asked.

He also said that EC exposed millions to the Covid virus just because they could not say no to BJP.