Political strategist Prashant Kishor said BJP has no tangible gain by taking Nitish Kumar and JD(U) back in the NDA fold as it would not make a huge difference in BJP’s seats from Bihar but it was psychological low to the Opposition. Taking Nitish Kumar one of the architects of the INDIA bloc is losing a battle to win a war for the BJP, the strategist said in an interview to India Today.
In a major political development ahead of the Lok Sabha election 2024, Nitish Kumar who last year led the opposition parties to unitedly fight the BJP left the INDIA bloc and joined the NDA. Despite slamming each other on several occasions, all seemed well between JD(U) and the BJP while the Congress said Nitish Kumar’s exit from the bloc won’t harm the alliance as a whole. Prashant Kishore said JD(U) will be finished by 2024 and the equation will again change in Bihar before the state goes to the assembly election in 2025. No matter with whom JD(U) contests the election next year, JD(U) will not win more than 20 seats, Prashant Kishor said.
“Nitish Kumar being a part of the Opposition bloc was not that big a deal, per say. On his own, he was not bringing something that would have turned the tables. But perception-wise, yes, there were those who believed in the Opposition strength or the new formation called INDIA They thought him as one of the key components of the new formation. BJP, by taking him back, has gone for a strategy of losing a battle to win a war,” Prashant Kishor said in the India Today interview.
BJP’s number will reduce because they will be sharing seats with JD(U) and BJP is aware of it, Prashant Kishor said adding that BJP will have to pay a price for this decision in the assembly election.
‘Don’t know who is advising Rahul Gandhi’
Prashant Kishor said Rahul Gandhi’s timing for the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is wrong. “Now he should be in the headquarters When he should be on the ground, he is in the headquarters and when he is required at the headquarters, he is in yatra. I don’t think this is the best use of his time,” Prashant Kishor said.
INDIA bloc is facing teething problems because it came into being quite late with only six months’ time left for seat sharing. “What stopped them from coming together in 2021 or 2022? They all knew that the election would be in 2024 and there would be seat-sharing,” Prashant Kishor said.
BJP’s USP for 2024 is PM Modi: Prashant Kishor
Prashant Kishor said Ram Mandir will not add new votes but will consolidate the votes. Votes will be for PM Modi, Prashant Kishor said. “Narendra Modi’s strength is he and his agendas evolve every 5 years. In 2002, he was Hindu Hriday Samrat. By 2007, he became this able administrator who could bring development in Gujarat, By 2014, he became someone who could change India. By 2019, he became the person who could bring great pride, courage, and conviction to the stories of India. In 2024, he is being positioned as someone who brought Ram to the country. Everything that BJP does is subservient to this branding of Modi…he is Indira Gandhi of the BJP,” Prashant Kishor said.
