All these days, it was confined to just a speculation in Andhra Pradesh political circles that noted political strategist Prashant Kishor was being roped in as an advisor to Telugu Desam Party led by former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
On Saturday, it has become an open secret with Prashant Kishor landing in Vijayawada along with TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh. Apparently, both of them came in a private jet from New Delhi.
Both of them went in the same vehicle to Naidu’s Vundavalli residence, where they had entered into confabulations with the team of Showtime Consulting headed by Kishor’s erstwhile colleague Robbin Sharma.
It is now clear that PK will be helping the Robbin Sharma team in working out strategies for the TDP victory in the coming elections.
Greatandhra.com has already reported that the TDP would be paying around Rs 125 crore to Prashant Kishor for his advisory role in the upcoming elections.
Sources said more than anything else, it was the rift with his other colleague Rishi Raj Singh, which made Prashant Kishor switch the sides to the TDP.
Though Prashant Kishor is no more associated with I-PAC, which is being solely handled by Rishi Raj, the former still has a stake in it.
While Rishi Raj and his I-PAC team are now working for YSR Congress party as strategists, Prashant Kishor is said to be bringing pressure on I-PAC for more financial compensation it is receiving from Jagan.
This led to a rift between Rishi Raj and Prashant Kishor and the former has successfully sidelined the latter in the entire game.
“That has prompted Prashant to join hands with Lokesh, Shantanu Shantanu (head of operations at ShowTime Consulting, now affiliated with TDP) and Kilaru Rajesh and began working for the TDP,” sources said.
As a result, it now appears the real battle is between Prashant Kishor and Rishi Raj Singh, rather than Naidu vs Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, say observers.
