PK-IPAC combination: Mamata's prime weapon to end BJP regime in 2024

Political analysts believe that the strategies outlined by Prashant Kishor had been crucial in fructifying Mamata Banerjee’s efforts to arrest the saffron wave in West Bengal and this has accelerated her national perspective relevance to a great extent.

Kolkata:BJP's dream to rule West Bengal in 2021 got shattered in the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections after it was unable to carry forward its success of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls where it won 18 out of 42 seats in the state. However, in the 2021 polls, while Trinamool Congress crossed the double-century mark, BJP was unable to go anywhere near the three-digit figure. Mamata Banerjee, as a result, was sworn in as the Chief Minister for the third consecutive term.

While much of the credit for this glorious victory goes to Mamata Banerjee and her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, the constitution of vote- strategist, Prashant Kishor and his organization, Indian Political Organisation Committee (IPAC), who worked from behind the curtain to ensure this victory. Now the question that automatically arises is that how long this Trinamool Congress- IPAC ties will continue. Kishor, popularly known as PK, has already announced that he will no longer operate as a vote strategist. However, he is yet to make anything clear on what will be his role in politics henceforth.

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Rumours are already there that he might join active politics now. In the meantime, both IPAC and Trinamool Congress have already entered into a long term mutual arrangement. However, there has not been any official statement from Trinamool Congress in this regard so far. However, party sources confirmed that the IPAC-Trinamool arrangement will continue for at least another five years which means till 2026. However, none of the Trinamool leaders is willing to give any official statement on what would be the benefits of this arrangement. “The association has proved to be beneficial for Trinamool. So naturally, we all desire that this association is long-lasting,” a party leader said on condition of anonymity.

Party sources said that the glorious victory in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections has accelerated Mamata Banerjee's national perspective relevance to a great extent. “So she has decided to start the blueprint for taking BJP head-on in the 2024 Lok Sabha election from now on. Even our Chief Minister herself has clearly said that defeating Narendra Modi in the 2024 elections is her only goal now,” a party leader said.

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In such a critical situation, Trinamool leadership has decided to adopt a two-pronged strategy. The first is to expand the party’s national network substantially during the interim period by playing a key role in uniting all the anti-BJP forces in the country. The meeting between PK-Sharad Pawar was one such step in this direction.

Rumours are that Trinamool Congress might get Kishore elected in the Rajya Sabha in the coming days. In the same logic, Mukul Roy might also be sent to the upper house of the Parliament. The third possible Trinamool candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat is Yashwant Sinha who has recently joined Trinamool Congress. Meanwhile, IPAC will continue to operate from West Bengal by steering the guideline on the functioning of the state government and at the same time reaching to the people more.

Now, the question is whether this two-pronged strategy will fructify Trinamool’s national dream or not. Whether Trinamool will achieve its goal of ending the BJP regime?

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Former Registrar of Calcutta University and political analyst, Rajagopal Dhar Chakraborty feels that since IPAC is a professional organization it can operate free of political emotions. “So the association with IPAC might benefit Trinamool in the coming days. At the same that PK is now well-versed with the complex equations in politics. To my opinion other political parties should also have associations with similar professional organizations,” he said.

Now, the question is that whether PK will be able to maintain this professional approach after his direct entry into politics.