Kishor meets first-time Punjab Cong MLAs, takes their first-hand feedback

The poll consultant, who was the brain behind the Congress’ 2017 campaign that saw the party score a resounding victory with a near two-thirds majority, met the party legislators for the stocktaking exercise at the chief minister’s official residence in Chandigarh

Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s principal adviser and political strategist Prashant Kishor on Wednesday met the first-time MLAs of the Congress here for their “first-hand feedback” on the ground realities and implementation of poll promises ahead of the 2022 state polls.

Prashant Kishor.

The poll consultant, who was the brain behind the Congress’ 2017 campaign that saw the party score a resounding victory with a near two-thirds majority, met the party legislators for the stocktaking exercise at the chief minister’s official residence here.

Kishor had called 37 first-timers for interaction and most of them showed up. The legislators met him in groups of three, sharing their views about the public perception of the state government’s image, implementation of election promises, and development works undertaken in their constituencies or regions, according to several first-timers spoken to by this newspaper after the meetings.

Priorities listed, concerns voiced

Besides listing jobs, power tariff and relaxation to traders and shopkeepers for the lockdown period, incomplete development works and pending promises as the priority areas that the government needs to focus on in the remaining few months, some MLAs also spoke their mind about the bureaucracy calling the shots. “The government has done several things, but these were done through officials and elected representatives have not been involved. I told him that this needs to be rectified and messaging should be right for maximum political mileage,” one of the MLAs said on condition of anonymity.

Similarly, a legislator from Doaba spoke about the need to give more push to development works in his region which, according to him, was not given adequate representation in the state cabinet and, therefore, did not get adequate attention. Another suggestion from an MLA from Majha region was that ministers should sit in their offices, meet the elected representatives more often and give more time to public to redress their grievances.

CM’s aide lends ‘attentive ear’

Kishor, who meet the first-timers alone, gave 25 to 30 minutes to each group, lending an attentive ear. Payal MLA Lakhvir Singh Lakha said it was an “introductory” meeting and no discussion took place on the strategy for state elections. “I told him about a hospital being set up and police station being constructed in my area and other achievements, but there is a need to speed up development works. He also told me that we will keep meeting,” he said, expressing satisfaction with their interaction. The CM’s adviser could not be contacted.

The political strategist, who was inducted by the chief minister in his office on March 1, started working last week and has already held meetings with the chief secretary, top aides of the chief minister, and administrative secretaries and other officials of key departments, including the publicity arm of the state government. Kishor, who was adviser to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar earlier, also worked as poll strategist with Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress in the ongoing state polls in West Bengal. In the past, he has worked with the YSR Congress, the AAP and the BJP.