BJP responds to Prashant Kishor's massive prediction on how many seats it'll win in Bengal

Minutes after Trinamool Congress' poll strategist Prashant Kishor made a massive prediction about BJP's performance in the high-pitch and upcoming West Bengal elections, the Saffron party's poll in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya has responded. In a jibe at former JDU leader Kishor, Vijayvargiya has said that after the Bengal wave of BJP, "India will lose an election strategist." This comes at the time when ex-BJP chief Amit Shah has already announced that the saffron party will win over 200 seats in the next elections, forming its first government in the state.

READ | Amit Shah says 'CAA rules to be framed after COVID vaccination'; opines on Centre V Mamata

Prashant Kishor's prediction 

A day after BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah wrapped up his West Bengal visit, poll strategist of the Trinamool Congress Prashant Kishor has made a massive declaration. Taking to Twitter on Monday, Kishor said that BJP in Bengal polls will not "cross double-digits". In what seemed to be a challenge to the saffron party, Prashant Kishor said that if his analysis is proved wrong, he would "quit the space" and asked for people to 'save this tweet'. Notably in 2016, out of the 293 seats, BJP had won 3 seats, Congress won 44, CPM won 26 seats. This is also the first time Prashant Kishor has broken his silence amid the massive and high-pitched political developments in Bengal.

READ | Mamata Vs Centre: Banerjee Thanks Other State CMs For Showing 'solidarity To Federalism'

Trinamool has faced its worst exodus so far as 10 netas along with heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari joined BJP in presence of Amit Shah. Reportedly, the leaders in TMC are miffed due to the presence of Prashant Kishor in each of their party meetings as well as the growing clout of CM Mamata's nephew Abhishek Banerjee. Sources say that it was on the advice of Abhishek Banerjee that Mamata hired Prashant Kishor and his team IPAC for her re-election campaign in the 2021 polls. 

READ | Prashant Kishor Predicts How Many Seats BJP Will Win In Bengal Elections; Says 'save This'

BJP's Bengal campaign and WB polls 

With the passage of CAA, BJP has focused to win 220-230 seats in the 294-member Bengal Assembly. Launching an aggressive campaign under in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya, the saffron party's workers have often violently clashed with Trinamool workers over CAA, COVID-19 leading to the deaths of several BJP leaders. Accusing Bengal CM of attacking its leaders, BJP has decided to not project any chief ministerial candidate for West Bengal Assembly polls. With the death of leaders in the numerous clashes, BJP has taken to the streets to protest, often on the receiving end of blows from the Kolkata police.

West Bengal assembly with 294 seats will go to polls in April-May 2021, Trinamool holds 222 seats. However, BJP has made major inroads in the state in the Lok Sabha elections winning 18 seats, and establishing itself as the major Opposition force in the state. Recently TMC trumped BJP in all 3 bypolls but the BJP is using its booth-level strategy, has placed its top leaders including Amit Shah and JP Nadda in the state for winning the upcoming elections.

READ | Mamata Banerjee holds emergency party meeting as 9 leaders exit; Prashant Kishor present