Prashant Kishor dares BJP over Bengal polls; states number below which netas should quit

A day after claiming that BJP will t cross double digits in West Bengal assembly polls, election strategist of ruling Trinamool Congress Prashant Kishor on Tuesday challenged its leaders to say on record that y will quit ir positions if party fails to get 200 seats. He also clarified that if saffron party does any better than what he has predicted, he would 'quit his work'.

"BJP will struggle to cross double digits and will get less than 100 seats in West Bengal. Will quit my work if y do," Kishor told PTI, reiterating his assessment.

This comes after saffron party's poll in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya in a jibe at former JDU leader Kishor said that after Bengal wave of BJP, "India will lose an election strategist." Ex-BJP chief Amit Shah has already anunced that saffron party will win over 200 seats in next elections, forming its first government in state.

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Prashant Kishor's prediction 

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

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

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Prashant Kishor's campaign for TMC

In run-up to West Bengal elections, Trinamool Congress (TMC) has started various digital campaigns.  A brainchild of poll strategist Prashant Kishor and his I-PAC (Indian Political Action Committee) team, sources said that TMC has started groundwork for polls as early as in 2019. Some of campaigns that have been recently launched are 'Duare Sarkar' for doorstep delivery of government services, 'Mark Yourself safe from BJP', etc. 

Earlier TMC had launched 'Didi Ke Bolo' campaign, also a brainchild of Kishor, about a year ago. In it, people with any grievances on any issue could contact Chief Minister's office by dialling a helpline number or through WhatsApp and Facebook. It has also launched a campaign "Bangla r Gorbo Mamata" (Didi, pride of Bengal) in March.

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West Bengal polls 

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 state in Lok Sabha elections winning 18 seats, and establishing itself as major Opposition force in state. Recently TMC trumped BJP in all 3 bypolls but BJP is using its booth-level strategy, has placed its top leaders including Amit Shah and JP Nadda in state for winning upcoming elections.