Are political consultants like Prashant Kishor harming Indian democracy? https://scroll.in/article/1017296/the-india-fix-are-political-consultants-like-prashant-kishor-harming-indian-democracy
Like with Modi in 2014, I-PAC rejigged Mamata’s personal image. Like with Modi, the Trinamool went into 2021 with welfare and development being credited almost personally to Mamata Banerjee. This strategy allowed her to build more power at the expense of local party units as well as side step grave allegations of petty corruption by Trinamool leaders.
Equally effective was the I-PAC’s establishment of communications lines to both social media and journalists. Within a remarkably short period of time, the Trinamool was able to compete and, in fact, at times even better the BJP’s well-oiled PR machine.
On February 8, the Anandabazar Patrika reported on an alleged rift between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and political consultant Prashant Kishor’s I-PAC.
On Sunday,( 12th) Mamata Banerjee cracked the whip. She simply dissolved the entire national working committee of the Trinamool Congress with the exception of her own post of chairperson.
The very idea of political consultants is less than a decade old in Indian politics. But as the ongoing Trinamool civil war shows, they have come to occupy a major space in Indian politics.
Comment: there was a concerted effort in the National Media in December/January to deride the Congress' ability to strike a deal with Kishore.. It was portrayed as the family not wanting to give up control, when perhaps the family was trying to get new ground level support and leadership..