Date: August 26, 2024

Is IPAC Incomplete Without Prashant Kishor?

The Role of Prashant Kishor in YCP’s Victory

In 2019, Prashant Kishor and his team at IPAC were instrumental in Jagan Mohan Reddy’s stunning victory, bringing YSRCP to power in Andhra Pradesh. Through a well-organized campaign strategy, including the legendary Padayatra (walkathon), PK helped Jagan resonate with the masses. With an unprecedented plan of action, IPAC’s efforts, spearheaded by PK, turned the tide in Jagan’s favor, making him the Chief Minister.

The Post-Prashant Kishor Era: A Struggle for IPAC

However, things drastically changed when Prashant Kishor opted out of IPAC to focus on his political journey in Bihar. Despite this, Jagan chose to rehire IPAC for the 2024 elections, hoping for the same success. Unfortunately, the outcome was anything but favorable. Jagan went from being Chief Minister to just an MLA, a drastic downfall in political stature, losing not only the majority but failing even to secure a role as the opposition leader.

Misinformation and Failed Predictions by IPAC

One of the biggest criticisms leveled at IPAC during the 2024 election was the failure to provide accurate ground-level assessments. The team conducted countless surveys, analyzed rural and urban voter behavior, and assessed candidate selections but still seemed out of touch with reality. Jagan’s overconfidence in IPAC’s predictions led him to believe he would secure over 151 seats, a far cry from the actual result—just 11 seats.

The Absence of Prashant Kishor’s Influence

Without Prashant Kishor’s guiding hand, it became clear that IPAC struggled to repeat its earlier success. Prashant’s ability to connect with the masses and devise grassroots campaigns, like Jagan’s Padayatra, was notably absent. Instead, the much-criticized Siddham meetings took center stage, leading to accusations that the crowds were paid, thus weakening the campaign’s authenticity.

Prashant Kishor had already predicted that Jagan would face a tough time in the 2024 elections, but his warnings were ignored. Jagan’s reliance on IPAC, without Prashant’s strategic vision, eventually contributed to his dramatic loss of power.

Conclusion: IPAC’s Worth Without PK?

While IPAC played a pivotal role in Jagan’s rise in 2019, the 2024 elections revealed a crucial truth: IPAC without Prashant Kishor lacks the strategic brilliance that made the previous campaign successful. Though Prashant Kishor alone could not have guaranteed Jagan’s success amid such strong public opposition, his absence undoubtedly left a void that IPAC could not fill.