Poll strategist Prashant Kishor made Nitish Kumar aide

22 Jan 2016

Prashant Kishor, who played a key role in strategising for the Nitish Kumar-led grand alliance, which registered an impressive win in the Bihar state assembly elections, has been appointed as advisor (policies and programme implementation) to chief minister Nitish Kumar, with the status of a state cabinet minister.

The state cabinet on Tuesday approved. Kishor's appointment. He will advise chief minister Nitish Kumar on policies and programmes related to the xtate's development.

His services will also be required, from time to time, for implementation of policies and programmes of the state government, said a government notification.

All along Kishor has been living in and operating from a makeshift office in 7 Circular Road, the Bihar CM's residence.

Kishor had hit headlines after a playing significant role in winning the state election in Gujarat and the parliamentary poll for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A native of Bihar, he later became associated with Nitish Kumar for the 2015 state assembly polls.

Kishor, known for his expertise in communication, technology and strategy, is said to have played an important role in winning the crucial Bihar poll for Nitish Kumar-led grand alliance. With 178 seats out of total 243, the JD(U)-RJD-Congress alliance registered an impressive win by defeating PM Narendra Modi-led BJP alliance.

The BJP could win just 53 seats in the poll.

After the Bihar election, the buzz in political circles was that Kishor could lend his services to either the Congress or go to other states like Assam, Punjab, West Bengal or Tamil Nadu where state elections are due soon.

Reports also said that he had had meetings with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and other leaders to work for them in upcoming polls to defeat the BJP.