BJP jabs Bengal CM Mamata as Prashant Kishor joins Punjab CM's team; claims 'means a lot'

The BJP on Tuesday took a dig at poll strategist Prashant Kishor over his appointment as Punjab CM Amarinder Singh's Principal Advisor, saying that he "left" TMC chief Mamata Banerjee to join the Congress leader. "Prashant has also left didi (Banerjee). Even before the election results are announced, her biggest adviser has joined someone else. This speaks a lot," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters in New Delhi.

'So-called political adviser..'

Noting that senior BJP leaders such as Amit Shah and J P Nadda have often asserted that the saffron party will win over 200 seats in the 294-seat Bengal Assembly, Patra claimed that everyone is now accepting this and that the "so-called political adviser has also realised this". Kishor is working as a key strategist for the ruling TMC in West Bengal, with the state set to witness an eight-phase Assembly election starting March 27.

He has worked for a number of anti-BJP parties in different Assembly polls over the last few years. Prashant Kishor had been very successful in helping Captain Amarinder Singh win the 2017 Punjab elections, formulating a campaign along the lines of the one that had enabled Narendra Modi and the BJP's success in 2014. He had, however, not been given the space to similarly help the party in Uttar Pradesh, as per his own admission.

Kishor appointed Punjab CM's Principal Advisor

The Chief Minister's Office said the cabinet had cleared the appointment and Kishor had been designated in the rank and status of a cabinet minister, adding that he would be paid Re 1 as token honorarium. Kishor will also be given free fully-furnished government residence and camp office as admissible to a cabinet minister, the CMO tweeted, attaching a copy of the order.

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Besides being provided staff, including one private secretary and a personal assistant, Kishor will be entitled to medical facilities and reimbursement of medical expenses as admissible to a cabinet minister. His term of appointment will be co-terminus with the tenure of present Punjab Chief Minister, as per terms and conditions of his appointment.

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