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Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, July 15
Borrowing a leaf from the book of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, election strategist Prashant Kishor is scripting Shiv Sena youth leader Aaditya Thackeray’s Jan Ashirwad Yatra in Maharashtra.
Just like Reddy carried out a series of yatras across Andhra Pradesh to build his party after the death of his father YSR Reddy, Thackeray will reach out to ‘thank’ the people for the party’s good showing in
the recent Lok Sabha elections.
“During his tour Aaditya Thackeray will also listen to the grievances of the people, particularly farmers,” a Yuva Sena leader said.
The party has even coined a slogan for the yatra—“Thank those who voted for us and win over those who didn’t”.
Party sources say a team of advisors from Kishor’s company IPAC will be working backstage to manage Thackeray’s engagements during the yatra, which will kick off from Thursday at Jalgaon. To begin with,
Thackeray’s yatra will cover northern Maharashtra. Shiv Sena sources say Thackeray’s yatra would have covered the whole of the state before the assembly elections due in October this year.
”Aaditya Thackeray will reach out to the younger voters who had voted for the Shiv Sena in large numbers during the recent Lok Sabha elections,” the Yuva Sena leader said.
Shiv Sena leaders say the party will have to win more seats than the BJP in the forthcoming assembly elections in order to claim the status of ‘big brother’ in Maharashtra.
Prashant Kishor is credited with brokering peace between the BJP and the Shiv Sena ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Ahead of the polls the election strategist helped plan Aaditya Samvaad, an exercise where the younger Thackeray answered questions from younger voters in major cities.
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