Prashant Kishor offers to help Sena with LS election strategy

Mumbai: In a curious move, Shiv Sena has roped in renowned poll strategist Prashant Kishor, who will be offering his expertise to the party for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Mr Kishor called on Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday at his residence Matoshree, where he addressed all party MPs. However, the issue of pre-poll alliance with BJP wasn’t discussed at the meeting, said Sena sources.

Mr Kishor, who is the vice-president of Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United), is known in the political circles for his expertise and acumen in elections. Working as a political strategist, he had played a key role in helping Narendra Modi become a Prime Minister as BJP won an absolute majority in the 2014 LS polls.

Later Mr Kishor helped Nitish Kumar and his alliance with the Lalu Prasad Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) win the 2015 Bihar elections. After becoming the JD(U) leader, he was also instrumental in his party snapping ties with Mr Yadav and joining the NDA.

A Sena MP present at the meeting said that Mr Kishor has offered a strategic assistance to the party for the forthcoming LS polls. “Mr Kishor said we should take up the local-level issues concerning Maharashtra during the campaign. He has assured Sena that he would provide strategic help in planning the campaign and managing the media,” he said.

Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray tweeted to announce the tie-up with the political strategist. “Today Uddhav Thackeray ji and I had a special visitor over lunch. Some great talks @PrashantKishor ji,” he said.

According to political analysts, Sena’s move to rope in Mr Kishor is a clear indication that the party is trying to contest the LS polls and hence it requires a prominent political strategist to devise its plans.