Jagan-PK on roller coaster ride?

Prashant meets Pawan for new assignment

Vijayawada: The four-month old Jagan-Prashant Kishor (PK) honeymoon seemingly turns stormy with the YSRCP’s severe drubbing in the Nandyal byelection. The prospects of PK as a successful political strategist were put to test in Nandyal at a time when he was at his best trying to test waters in the south after trying his hand in the northern states of UP and Bihar.

A section of YSRCP MLAs and party workers are linking the party’s defeat to the PK’s strategies not matching with the ground realities. An MLA from the coastal districts was said to have expressed his strong displeasure with the YSRCP chief over the efficacy of PK’s strategies. “We have followed PK’s prescription. But it went awry baffling our party rank and file,” commented a senior leader.

Jagan was said to have made horrific comments, calling upon people to shoot CM Naidu dead and hang him in public only to galvanise people in line with PK’s strategy. He was also said to have stayed put in Nandyal town for 13 days, zeroing in on TDP’s strong pockets.

Jagan and actor RK Roja remained as star campaigners in the forefront and Roja, as if not to lag behind in war of words, made offensive remarks on the dress style of Tourism minister Akhila Priya, also daughter of late Bhuma Nagi Reddy. It all happened right under the nose of Prashant Kishor and as per his strategy, it is said.

But it all recoiled on the winning prospects of the YSRCP at the end of the day. “When Jagan stayed for a longer period at a stretch on a door-to-door campaigning, the law of diminishing returns came into play with people losing out interest to see him and wave at him lustily as is the case during his rallies and road shows,” observes a PR strategist, wishing not to be quoted.

Roja’s comments on Akhila Priya are understood to have not been in sync with the mood of 1.20 lakh women voters. The outbursts also seemingly hurt their sentiments at a time when sympathy over the death of Nagi Reddy was at work in the constituency. The peace-loving trading community of Vysyas reportedly turned against the YSRCP with Jagan’s outbursts purportedly inciting violence.

The strategist reportedly gave an understanding to the party leadership that the YSRCP would get a majority of at least 12,000 votes in Gospadu mandal, which was considered to be its strong hold. In contrast, the TDP got 800-odd votes more than what the YSRCP fetched. In PK’s view, the contest would be keen, but the YSRCP would still have the last laugh.

The result proved other way round with the margin turned out to be as huge as 27,000 votes in favour of the TDP. Jagan and his followers were spending precious moments in Nandyal town, ignoring Gospadu as per PK’s suggestion. The considered view gaining momentum in the YSRCP is PK with all his proclaimed skills in election strategies failed to lend his ears to ground realities in Nandyal.

According to information, Prashant Kishor was hired for Rs 250 crore by Jagan to help himself score over his rival and Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in election strategies. The party was said to have paid him Rs 50 crore in advance and kept pending Kishor’s request for disbursement of another Rs 50 crore till the election result in Nandyal.

In the meantime, Prashant Kishor was said to have approached Jana Sena Party leader and actor Pawan Kalyan showcasing his political strategies a few days back. He is already in touch with the DMK in Tamil Nadu for a similar mission. It is yet to be seen over the prospects of his salability in the south in the backdrop of Nandyal election.