Strategist Prashant Kishor To Collaborate With Chandrababu Naidu

Lokesh receives PK, PK to meet CBN. Renowned electoral strategist and founder of the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), Prashant Kishor, made a significant appearance in Vijayawada on Saturday, igniting speculation about his involvement in the upcoming Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections. Kishor, popularly known as PK, arrived at Gannavaram Airport alongside TDP General Secretary Nara Lokesh, with both flying in from Hyderabad.

The duo proceeded to N. Chandrababu Naidu's residence in Undavalli, Amaravati, where Prashant Kishor engaged in discussions with the TDP supremo. The timing of this meeting, just ahead of the crucial elections, has fueled anticipation about PK's potential role in strategizing for the TDP.

In the 2019 elections, Prashant Kishor collaborated with the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), contributing significantly to their landslide victory over TDP. Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's party secured 151 out of 175 Assembly seats and triumphed in 22 out of 25 Lok Sabha constituencies.

As Andhra Pradesh braces for both Assembly and Lok Sabha polls in April-May next year, speculations have been rife for months that PK might lend his strategic expertise to the TDP. Reportedly, Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee played a role in convincing Prashant Kishor to support Chandrababu Naidu, with talks commencing after TMC's triumph in the West Bengal Assembly elections in June 2021.

The meeting between Naidu and PK follows closely on the heels of a large public gathering in Vizianagaram district, where Naidu shared the stage with Jana Sena Party (JSP) leader and actor Pawan Kalyan. Both TDP and JSP have announced an alliance for the upcoming elections. While Pawan Kalyan, aligned with the BJP-led NDA, remains optimistic about BJP's potential inclusion in the alliance to challenge YSRCP, the unfolding political dynamics in Andhra Pradesh add an intriguing dimension to the electoral landscape.