Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's party has signed up a contract with political consultant I-PAC, once led by election strategist Prashant Kishor, ahead of next year's assembly elections in the state. Mr Kishor, who is apparently on the verge of joining Congress, has been camping out in Mr Rao's official residence in Hyderabad since Saturday, sources have said.
The contract with Mr Rao has been expected for a while. But it has triggered speculation in the light of Mr Kishor's talks with the Congress -- joining it with an extensive plan to rejuvenate the Grand Old Party.
In three meetings so far, has made detailed presentations about his plans. He has also apparently given the Congress a May 2 deadline for a decision. Party chief Sonia Gandhi, in consultation with a team of veterans and Rahul Gandhi, is likely to take a final call on the matter at a crucial meeting tomorrow.
A section of Congress veterans, however, have been wary of any association with Mr Kishor, in view of his advisory role to parties in direct competition with the Congress in the states -- among them Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress and Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSR Congress.
Sources have also indicated that the special team Mrs Gandhi formed to evaluate Mr Kishor's proposal, wants him to dissociate from all other political parties and devote himself entirely to the Congress.
While Mr Kishor has officially ended his relations with IPAC, he is said to be privy to all the decisions of the organisation which he has led for a number of years.
Sources have confirmed to NDTV that Mr Kishor, in his presentations to the Congress, had suggested that the party contest 370 seats in the 2024 elections. He has also suggested that the party formulate tie-ups with regional leaders including Mamata Banerjee and KCR – an idea that is not likely to please the state Congress units after decades of animosity.
Following Mr Kishor's talks with Congress, there has also been speculation on whether Mr Rao would end his tie-up with him or the poll strategist would maintain distance with his team.
Mr Rao has earlier claimed Mr Kishor as his "best friend" and admitted to talks with the political strategist "to bring a national change",
"Prashant Kishor is my best friend for the last 7-8 years. He has never worked for money. He is not a paid worker. I am sorry you don't understand his commitment to the country," he had said, rubbishing allegations of a Rs 300 crore contract.
"I am in talks with Prashant Kishor to bring a national change. Prashant Kishor is working with me on this. Who can have a problem with this? Why are they seeing him as a bomb? Why are they crying?" Mr Rao had added, speaking at a news conference in Hyderabad.