“The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is still in the lead,” said Prashant Kishor, poll-strategist-turned-politician, during an interaction with Barkha Dutt on Sunday, 14 October.
The founder of Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) head, however, refused to predict who will win the race in 2019.
"Wish I knew the answer. The BJP is the party to defeat. They are still in lead position. I do not have a prediction to make," said Kishor, who was in conversation with senior journalist Dutt at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.
Kishor, who recently joined Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) – thus ending speculations of assisting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party in the upcoming polls – was making his first public appearance since then.
“If elections were to happen today”, Kishor said, “BJP is in the lead”.
“Approval ratings indicate people might not be as euphoric as they were in 2014 for BJP but they're still there. It doesn’t matter who I think will win because at the end of the day, what the majority believes is right,” Kishor said.
Rahul Versus Modi
Having worked with both PM Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Kishor said there was a difference between both leaders.
“While Modi is a big risk taker and exhibits courage, Rahul is more status-quo-ist. For example, before Chai pe charcha episode was going live, we were scared because the campaign was going well. Other leaders would have been far more cautious but Modi wasn’t. Rahul is more status-quo-ist. He resorts to conventional ways,” Kishor said.
Kishor also said that it too soon to write Rahul Gandhi off as he has just taken over the reins of the party.
“I think Rahul is the right guy to lead Congress. Writing him off won't work. We will have to give him 4-5 years before writing him off as a Congress chief,” Kishor said.
‘BJP Could Have Done Without Demonetisation’
While listing the schemes that the BJP-led government can capitalise on for the upcoming general elections, Kishor said that the party could have done without demonetisation.
"I think they (BJP) could have done without demonetisation," he said.
Govt Must Ask MJ Akbar: Kishor
First among the allies of the ruling party to speak against cabinet minister MJ Akbar – accused of sexual harassment by at least 10 women journalists – Kishor said that Akbar should take the onus and step down.
“I don’t necessarily speak on the behalf of government. It is for him to take a call. If allegations have come up, it is for him to step aside and resign. I still believe he should take it on his own and the government should ask him.”Prashant Kishor on allegations of sexual harassment on MJ Akbar
Kishor on Joining JD(U)
Kishor further said that he arrived at his decision to join JD(U) despite several proposals from the BJP to join the party.
“There was an active discussion for me joining and campaigning for the BJP and the NDA in 2019. However, you join the party you want to join, and I could have joined the BJP. The discussion has not ended. It is on and off,” Kishor said.
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