For the YSR Congress in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections, Prashant Kishor and his India Political Action Committee (IPAC) team helped the party build the organisation right from the polling booth level. In the election, the strategies translated in vote share as its party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy won the Pulivendula Assembly seat by a record margin of 90,110 votes.
After the party faltered in 2014 only due to lack of such organisational structure, in this election Prashant Kishor’s political consulting firm was instrumental in setting the strategy for the YSRC and creating the narrative. This was done by organising 35 campaigns, 17 on the ground and 18 online since May 2017. The same political consulting firm had worked with Narendra Modi in 2014 and Nitish Kumar later in 2015.
Prashant Kishor’s IPAC and Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSR Congress:
In the state, Jaganmohan Reddy did 15-month-long Praja Sankalpa Padayatra, a foot march that took him across the state. This was aimed at connecting him with over two crore people.
Through the Jagan Anna Pilupu campaign, the YSRC chief wrote personal letters to over 60,000 village-level neutral influencers, seeking their inputs to create a blueprint for the development of Andhra Pradesh. In the election, Special Category Status was also made party’s single point agenda.
The party also reached out to people to establish a direct connection with the voters. IPAC claims that through various other campaigns, the YSRCP managed to reach out to over 4.8 crore people in one crore households in the state at least once in the last two years. For example, the campaign song 'Raavali Jagan Kaavali Jagan' ahead of the elections went viral, with 2.2 crore people viewing it, reportedly making it the most-watched poll campaign song.
In the election, 'Ninnu Nammam Babu' (we dont trust you Chandrababu), 'Bye-Bye Babu' campaign themes also became catchy slogans on poll-eve and turned the tide against TDPs 'Malli Nuvve Raavali' (you should come again) line.
While 400 members of IPAC worked in the field with YSRC MPs, MLAs, and other leaders, different 'functional teams' managed data and technology, political intelligence, social media, research, media and operations, providing comprehensive support to the whole campaign for election.
What lies ahead in Andra Pradesh:
After the election victory of YSR Congress, Telugu Desam Party’s Chandrababu Naidu conceded defeat and submitted his resignation to the Andhra Pradesh Governor on Thursday. The YSRC Legislature Party will meet on May 25 to formally elect Jaganmohan Reddy as its leader, who will be sworn-in as chief minister on May 30.
Terming his party's good show in the state Assembly polls and Lok Sabha elections as a "new chapter" in the history of Andhra Pradesh, Reddy told reporters such a massive mandate came with tremendous amount of responsibility.
"I will make sure that I live up to that expectations," Reddy said.
(agency inputs)
WATCH: Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu to submit his resignation