Political circles in West Bengal were abuzz with speculations that poll strategist Prashant Kishor is likely to be accorded ‘Z’ category security by the state police. However, both the state secretariat and top leadership of the TMC remained tightlipped. Repeated calls to Kishor also went unanswered.
The development comes amid hearsay that the architect of several successful political campaigns might join Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress ahead of the 2021 assembly polls.
Hitting out, CPI(M) Legislative Party leader Sujan Chakraborty asked why was Kishor being provided ‘Z’ category security at the expense of the state government despite having no relation with public life in West Bengal.
“Is Prashant Kishor being provided Z Category security? At the government expenses? Why? No relation with public life in Bengal. Is it planted by AmitShah ? Seems the closeness with Mamata Banerjee is causing one insecure! Highly deplorable & conspicuous!” he tweeted.
The JD(U) last month expelled Kishor, who was its vice-president, saying his conduct in the recent past had made it clear that he did not want to abide by the party’s discipline. Kishor, like the West Bengal chief minister, has been a strong critic of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Population Register (NPR).
According to TMC sources, Kishor shares a very good rapport and working relation with Banerjee.
After its dismal performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the TMC hired Kishor to strategise and fix the lacunae before next year’s assembly elections. Kishor’s strategy worked for the party in the November bypolls as it won all three assembly seats.
