Strategist Kishor to handle Nitish campaign again

Poll strategist Prashant Kishor will handle the campaign of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar yet again.

A senior Janata Dal (United) functionary told Deccan Herald on the condition of anonymity that Kumar and Kishor discussed the issue last month and a decision has now been reached.

"Kishor, who had built the campaign strategy of the grand alliance of JDU, RJD and Congress in Bihar in 2015 assembly polls, will do it time again for Nitish Kumar," claimed the functionary.

The functionary claimed that Kishor will handle Kumar's election campaign strategy during Lok Sabha polls 2019 as well as Bihar assembly polls scheduled later. There is a buzz that the assembly polls of Bihar could coincide with LS polls.

For Modi too?

There has been a buzz that Kishor. who had successfully strategised for Narendra Modi in 2014 Lok Sabha polls and also for his then arch-rival Nitish Kumar, could be back to handling Narendra Modi's campaign in 2019 Lok Sabha polls as well.

However, the JDU leader feigned ignorance when asked whether Kishor, who is known for drafting personality centric poll campaign strategy, is doing it for Nitish on behalf of NDA or whether Kishor will also handle Narendra Modi's campaign strategy at the national level.

On June 3, Nitish Kumar had huddled up in Patna with Kishor and party general secretaries K C Tyagi and Pavan Varma. In its national executive in the national capital on July 8, amid buzz that Kumar was seeking to revive the secular grand alliance, JDU had ruled out walking out of NDA but flagged the "difference" between the two parties while slamming communal politics.

On July 12, BJP chief Amit Shah met Nitish Kumar in Patna. "But seat sharing was not discussed," said a JDU functionary, adding that there was just reiteration of both JDU and BJP staying together.