In a big dampener for Congress, poll strategist Prashant Kishor predicted that BJP will remain a dominant force in Indian politics for the next many decades. Speaking at an event in the Museum of Goa, he disagreed with the opposition’s claim that the Narendra Modi-led government will be voted out of power in 2024 merely due to anti-incumbency. To buttress his point, he highlighted the difference in people’s approach towards the rise in fuel prices as compared to the UPA government era.
According to him, it was difficult to envisage the saffron party fading away easily as it had crossed the 30 percent vote share at the national level. On this occasion, he asserted that former Congress president Rahul Gandhi was mistaken in believing that people will vote against BJP in due course of time. These remarks assume significance as speculation was rife that he was joining Congress after holding multiple meetings with the Wayanad MP. Earlier, Kishor had made it clear that there are no quick-fix solutions to the “deep-rooted problems” and “structural problems” of Congress.
Prashant Kishor remarked, “You go and talk to any Congress leader or regional leader and they say, it is just a matter of time. People are getting fed up. There is anti-incumbency. People will throw him out. I doubt. It is not happening. Imagine this is a country where a 50 paisa increase in petrol and diesel prices were put on hold for an election for 5-6 months. In the same country, diesel prices have risen by Rs.70 and yet there is no discontent against the man. There is something deeper that you and I are not getting.”
Prashant Kishor who had helped many parties in various elections is currently camping in Goa to prepare the groundwork for Trinamool Congress. His team Indian-Political Action Committee is also present in the state.
Prashant Kishor pointed to a fragmented voter base in the country, saying, “If you look at the electorate level, it is a fight between one-third and two-third. Only one third people are voting for the BJP or wanting to support the BJP. The problem is that the two-third side is so fragmented that it is divided into 10, 12 or 15 political parties, and that is primarily because of the decline of the Congress.”
“It’s because the [support for] the Congress has gone down, that 65% has got fragmented, leading to a lot of individuals and smaller parties,” he said.
The IPAC has begun surveys on behalf of the TMC in Goa to help the party expand beyond Bengal. In Goa, the TMC has taken on board former Congressman Luizinho Faleiro to lead the party in elections.