JD(U) vice-president and political strategist Prashant Kishor had an uncanny response to Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu calling him a “Bihari dacoit”.
Naidu had during a poll rally in Andhra Pradesh’s Ongole accused Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao of doing “criminal politics” and poaching Congress and TDP MLAs, according to ANI.
He also said that “Bihari dacoit Prasant Kishor has removed lakhs of votes in Andhra Pradesh”, the news agency reported.
Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu in Ongole: K Chandrashekar Rao is doing criminal politics. He is grabbing the MLAs of Congress and TDP. Bihari dacoit Prasant Kishore has removed lakhs of votes in Andhra Pradesh. (18.03.2019) pic.twitter.com/y04MP1u7v4
— ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2019
Kishor, who has helped strategise campaigns for Narendra Modi in 2014 Lok Sabha elections and Nitish Kumar in 2015 Bihar assembly polls, took to Twitter to say that he was not surprised “with the baseless utterances of” Naidu.
“ An imminent defeat can rattle even the most seasoned politicians. So I’m not surprised with the baseless utterances of @ncbn,” he tweeted.
The poll strategist also added up with an advice for the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief to help him in the polls.
“Sirji rather than using derogatory language that shows your prejudice & malice against Bihar, just focus on why people of AP should vote for you again,” Kishor said.
An imminent defeat can rattle even the most seasoned politicians. So I’m not surprised with the baseless utterances of @ncbn
Sirji rather than using derogatory language that shows your prejudice & malice against Bihar, just focus on why people of AP should vote for you again. https://t.co/CYSJNRJ43W
— Prashant Kishor (@PrashantKishor) March 19, 2019
Faced with defections in large numbers, Naidu has been facing an uphill task at finalising candidates for the Lok Sabha elections and the simultaneous assembly polls to be held in a single phase on April 11.
There are 25 Lok Sabha seats and 175 assembly seats in the state.
The assembly elections will decide the fate of Naidu who is facing a strong opposition from YSR Congress’s Jaganmohan Reddy, who has the tacit support of the BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.