Mamata Banerjee keen to hire political strategist Prashat Kishor for Bengal polls

Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee held an hourlong meeting with political strategist Prashant Kishor, credited with playing a key role in the electoral success of Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar, with many within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) speculating that the ruling party could hire the strategist for the upcoming assembly polls.

Though not many within the TMC are in the know about the developments, the meeting has surprised many as Banerjee herself has expressed confidence of her party sailing through the polls and returning to power.

“I am not aware of the meeting. But since she [Banerjee] had met Kishor it must be for a reason,” said senior party leader and minister Subrata Mukherjee.

Sources say Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee, who is also a parliamentarian, and party all-India general secretary Subrata Bakshi were also present at the meeting at the party headquarters in south Kolkata.

“We did meet Kishor as we are meeting a lot of people. There is no need to speculate on the same,” Abhishek said refusing to disclose further details.

Insiders say the fee sought by Kishor could become a hindrance for the party and negotiating the same is the key. “He [Kishor] has sought a fee of Rs1.25 billion (Dh68.24 million) which is little costly. We can go up to one billion,” said a senior leader unwilling to be named.

However, what has surprised many that a party which credits itself for being a poor man’s party has acquired wealth of such proportion after being in power for just 5 years. “It was claimed that it was poor man’s party. How can they hire a strategist with such astronomical fee? What will be the total bill for the elections and who is funding it,” asked BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha.

Communist Party leaders expressed equal surprise at this move. “She [Banerjee] had earlier claimed that her government has done 400 years of work in just 5 years. If that is the truth then what is the need to hire a strategist,” said Politburo member Surjya Kanta Mishra.

“All this money is acquired through Sarada scam by looting poor people. They will have to pay the price for the same,” Mishra added.

TMC sources though indicate that with CPI-M trying to form an alliance with the Congress party, it has forced Banerjee to seek professional help to win elections. Also internal bickering within the party has reached such proportions that the party may lose several seats due to the same.

“Police intelligence is being sought on every constituency as Banerjee is unable to trust reports that party leaders have sent. In many constituencies, the party can lose because of internal sabotage,” said another senior minister.

Though it is a regular practice of all ruling parties to seek police intelligence ahead of polls, the detailed reports sought on legislators, their wealth and their family members, have surprised many.