Trinamool will renew contract with Prashant Kishor, clip wings of latter as advisor

KOLKATA:  Trinamool Congress has decided to continue its contract with poll strategist Prashant Kishor but in a limited role as advisor. West Bengal’s ruling party has told Kishor to forward recommendations of his team, I-PAC, directly to CM Mamata Banerjee. It is learnt that the strategist has been directed not to intervene in the party’s internal issues.

The gag is said to be significant in the backdrop of recent developments ahead of the civic polls resulting in embarrassment for the ruling party after Kishor’s team uploaded a list of candidates on a social media platform of the party without Mamata’s Approval.

The candidate list, mainly comprising the followers of Mamata’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee, was turned down by the party chief.

“She (Mamata) was disturbed with I-PAC’s act and she expressed her desire to terminate the contract with Kishor and his team. She, however, changed the decision considering some initiatives, which were Kishor’s brainchild, ahead of the last year’s Assembly elections that were proved effective to take voters, especially women, into confidence,” said a senior TMC leader.

Sources in the TMC said, Kishor was directed not to intervene in the party’s reshuffle.

“He was asked to give suggestions on government initiatives and outreach drives,” said another leader of the party.

Distance between Kishor, who was hired by Abhishek following TMC’s unimpressive performance in 2019, and Mamata came to the fore ahead of the civic polls.

“Abhishek was trying to create his own image in the party and he wanted to field young and fresh faces in the civic poll fray. Kishor’s team worked on it and prepared a list of candidates accordingly. The list was uploaded in social media without the CM’s approval,” said the leader.