Prashant Kishor to provide ''inputs'' for Shiv Sena''s LS campaign

Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, February 5

Election strategist Prashant Kishor, who was part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's team ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, will help the Shiv Sena craft its strategy for the forthcoming polls, according to party leaders.

Kishor, who is now part of the Janata Dal (United), had a 90-meeting long lunch meeting with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya on Tuesday. "Today Uddhav Thackeray ji and I had a special visitor over lunch. Some great talks," Aaditya said while posting pictures of the trio on Twitter.

Later, the Thackerays introduced Kishor to Shiv Sena's Members of Parliament. Party sources say Kishor provided a number of tips to the Shiv Sena's elected representatives going ahead into the next Lok Sabha elections.

Shiv Sena leaders say Kishor will be deploying several of his team members to work with the Thackerays and his advisers. He is due to make a presentation to the Thackerays in the next few days.

Later in the afternoon Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena's Rajya Sabha MP and editor of party mouthpiece Saamna, told reporters that Kishor had made a courtesy call to the Thackerays. "The Shiv Sena follows its own strategy for the elections," Raut said.

He also revealed that negotiations between the Shiv Sena and the BJP for sharing of seats during the Lok Sabha elections were yet to begin. "We have not heard anything officially from the BJP on an alliance. Whatever is being said is being done through the media," Raut said.

The Shiv Sena MP also denied that Kishor would play the role of a mediator between the Shiv Sena and the BJP.