Who will vote for BJP in West Bengal? Prashant Kishor has an answer

In the purported audio clip, Kishor is heard saying that PM Modi is hugely popular in Bengal, and there is no doubt about it

Amid the high voltage West Bengal Assembly elections, a controversy erupted after BJP released audio clips of TMC's election strategist Prashant Kishor purportedly saying that the "ruling party's internal survey shows BJP is winning".

In the purported audio clip, Kishor is heard saying "Modi is hugely popular in Bengal, and there is no doubt about it. He is equally popular like Mamata Banerjee."

Defending his chat on social media app Clubhouse, Kishor told NDTV that although BJP is a formidable political force in West Bengal, it will not cross 100 and claimed that the TMC is going to win big.

Also read: PM Modi, Mamata equally popular in Bengal: Row erupts over Prashant Kishor's purported audio clip

"The 40 per cent votes that the BJP is getting is because of the Prime Minister's popularity, polarisation and the support of Dalits and Hindi-speaking people. The problem in our country is that we reduce all discussion to binaries -- yes or no. The BJP is powerful but it can also lose the election," Kishor said.

In the audio clip shared by BJP's IT cell chief Amit Malviya, Kishor is heard saying "Rather, Dalits and the Matua communities specifically voting for the BJP is a very important factor. Matuas will predominantly vote for the BJP but not as much as they did in 2019...this time it will be 75 per cent (votes) for the BJP and 25 per cent for the TMC."

"I agree that it is a very close fight in the first four rounds, but it means that the BJP, even in its strongholds, is in a tight race with the Trinamool," he told the publication.

After the clip went viral, Kishor had said that the saffron party should have the courage to share the full chat on Clubhouse, instead of releasing it in parts to suit its convenience. He also added that if it were an open chat there was no "leaked" audio.

The audio clip triggered a political storm in Bengal, with the BJP claiming the TMC has accepted defeat while Mamata's party accused the saffron camp of playing mind games.

(With PTI inputs)