PK’s Congress move leaves KCR in a bind

Hyderabad: It was only a month ago Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had revealed that he is working with election strategist Prashant Kishor but now the latter’s reported plans to join the Congress appears to have upset the calculations of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief.

Prashant Kishor held a series of meetings with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her children Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi over the last few days and is reportedly set to join Congress, landing Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) in a fix.

It was on March 21 that KCR had revealed he was working with PK to bring a change in the country. “Yes he is working with me. What is wrong with this? Why are you scared of him,” he asked, referring to criticism by some BJP leaders.

Describing PK as his best friend for the last 7-8 years, KCR had claimed that he never takes money for his work.

“Prashant Kishor never takes money for work. Take it from me. He is not a paid worker. You people don’t know who Prashant Kishor is. What is his commitment for the nation? I am very sorry that a good man is being maligned,” he said.

KCR said since Prashant Kishor worked in 12 states and can help in impacting national politics, he invited him to work with him.

The TRS chief said that Prashant Kishore with apps, surveys and his i-PAC team knows people’s pulse.

A few days before this, PK, along with actor-politician Prakash Raj, visited Mallanna Sagar reservoir in Siddipet district amid speculations that the TRS has hired Prashant Kishor to evolve a strategy for next year’s Assembly elections.

PK had reportedly started the ground work to prepare a strategy for TRS. The TRS has apparently roped in him to prepare a strategy to take the government’s schemes and programs to the people to help it score a hat-trick.

PK had also reportedly called on KCR at the latter’s farm house in Siddipet district. They were understood to have discussed plans for 2023 Assembly polls and also KCR’s proposed anti-BJP front.

PK is believed to have provided the outcome of a preliminary survey reportedly done by his team in other states on the TRS chief’s idea of a national alternative.

PK, who has worked with various leaders including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, reportedly gave his inputs to the TRS chief on the proposed front.

The recent developments, however, landed KCR and TRS in a dilemma as Congress remains their main rival in the state.

While mooting the idea of a common platform of regional parties before 2019 elections, KCR had maintained that it would work as an alternative to both Congress and BJP.

Though in recent months, KCR softened his stand towards Congress, the TRS has ruled out any understanding with the grand old party in the state.

The TRS leadership is now keeping its fingers crossed over PK’s next move. Political observers say if the election strategist joins the Congress, it could virtually rule out possibilities of TRS and PK working together for next year’s Assembly polls.

However, if PK decides to only help Congress with a plan for Lok Sabha polls, he may still work for KCR in Telangana and may even facilitate a pre or post-poll understanding between KCR’s proposed front and Congress.