The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) came down heavily on political strategist Prashant Kishor after he reportedly enrolled himself as a voter from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s constituency Bhabanipur just ahead of the upcoming bypolls on September 30.
The BJP also took a dig at the ruling party Trinamool Congress (TMC) for being forced to rely on “bohiragotos” or “outsiders” like Prashant Kishor to win the upcoming election.
Media-in charge of BJP’s West Bengal unit Saptarshi Chowdhury took to Twitter to share Kishor’s voter registration details. “Finally, Prashant Kishor is a registered voter at Bhawanipore. Does the Bengal’s daughter want the vote of the outsider? The people of Bengal want to know,” tweeted Chowdhury.
https://twitter.com/saptarshiOFC/status/1441786517744066572?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwReportedly, Kishor has provided his “care of” address as that of Abhishek Banerjee, West Bengal Chief Minister’s nephew. Allegedly he was accommodated by Abhishek Banerjee during Covid lockdown. He was earlier registered as a voter from Bihar’s Sasaram district which is his native village.
‘Outsider vs Bengali’ rhetorics of Mamata Banerjee
Kishor’s enrollment as a voter especially from the Bhabanipur constituency is being mocked by the opposition after the current chief minister had launched an aggressive campaign against ‘outsiders’ for the state elections.
Calling BJP candidates and leaders as ‘goons from other states’, Banerjee in her election rally had claimed, “BJP ke vote dile apna ke desh theka tariya deba (If you vote for the BJP, then, they will drive you out of the State).”
“Baira thaka goondara aisa bangla ke dhokhol kora nibe, Banglar sanskriti ke dhokhol kore nabe, banglar asthitya dhokhol kore nabe.(Goons from other States will come here and take over Bengal, destroy its culture and identity),” Banerjee had alleged further.
Prashant Kishor to be sent to Rajya Sabha?
Multiple reports had surfaced in the media claiming that the TMC has plans to send the poll strategist to the Rajya Sabha. Defending the move, TMC leader Saugata Roy was quoted saying that if one wants to contest the Rajya Sabha elections it is necessary to become a voter of that state.
“I see nothing wrong in this. He is an Indian citizen and can become a voter of any state. Secondly, if anyone wants to contest the Rajya Sabha polls, he has to be a voter of that state. I don’t know his plans. He is staying in a house and that’s why he became a voter,” he had said.
However, as per a News18 report, Kishor allegedly had already enrolled himself as a voter of Bhabanipur in March this year. It is said that he had also casted his vote in state assembly polls this year.
Kishor, who is considered to be a close aide of Mamata Banerjee and her nephew, was also credited for TMC’s win in the state.
“Vote for TMC even if cyclone comes”
Meanwhile, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Thursday urged people to go out and cast their vote for her in the September 30 Bhabanipur bypoll and not be deterred by the cyclone.
“My party has the majority. There is no dearth of people who can become the chief minister. But if you want me to continue, bless me with your votes…Even if cyclone or tornado comes, come and cast your vote,” she announced at a rally.