'Be ready for a surprise result coming from Bengal'

PM Modi has been making frequent trips to Tamil Nadu as the state is Uttar Pradesh of South, says political strategist Prashant Kishor at Hyderabad Dialogues

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The BJP’s target of 400 seats is psychological warfare and the party on its own is highly unlikely to win 370 seats, said ace political strategist Prashant Kishor. Speaking at the Hyderabad Dialogues organised by this newspaper, he nevertheless said that the BJP is currently in pole position and predicted that it will outperform better than the Trinamool in West Bengal. Kishor highlighted PM Modi’s frequent visits to Tamil Nadu and noted the party will increase its vote share in the southern state. Excerpts:

PM Modi is on campaign mode. Does the BJP look more set for the race than anyone else in the fray? Do you therefore see 2024 as a foregone conclusion?

I don’t think they have done anything that they have not been doing in the last five years. he (PM Narendra Modi) is in campaign mode forever. So to that extent, I don’t see this as an aberration. I don’t have a crystal ball to make a prediction about who is going to win, but one can make an informed guess. The BJP-led NDA, for sure have a massive advantage over their opponents. Not necessarily because they are early with their campaign, not necessarily because he (Modi) is hugely popular, not only because they have huge electoral muscle.