"ABVP, You Can Do Better": It's Prashant Kishor Versus BJP

After high-voltage drama late on Monday in which poll strategist-turned-Janata Dal United leader Prashant Kishor was attacked by activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), it's official. It is BJP versus Nitish Kumar's top aide in the Patna University students' body elections.

The ABVP is a student group linked to the BJP.

Prashant Kishor was targeted when he went to the Patna University to meet the Vice Chancellor. As news and images of his meeting were leaked, a horde of students surrounded Vice Chancellor Rash Bihari Prasad Singh's home. When Prashant Kishor emerged after the meeting, his car was attacked with stones, which resulted in his angry tweet.

The news about my injury is false. I'm fine, thanks for the concern. @ABVPVoice u need to do better than let few hooligans & antisocial elements become your face in Bihar.

- Prashant Kishor (@PrashantKishor) December 3, 2018

He said in another tweet: "ABVP you need to do better than let few hooligans and antisocial elements become your face in Bihar. The possibility of losing the Patna University Students' Union election will not get over by attacking my car."

The BJP, which is in alliance with Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United in Bihar, recently accused Prashant Kishor of trying to influence the university polls to be held tomorrow. Mr Kishor has denied that his visit was anything but informal and personal.

"It was his personal visit. Some students had some misunderstanding about his visit. When he was going from the University, then a student threw stone at the car. We have detained the student and will question him if he is from the university or from somewhere else," a police official told ANI.

Prashant Kishor joined the JD(U) in September, after nearly six years of formulating election strategies.

In the middle of the drama, a delegation of BJP lawmakers met with Governor Lalji Tandon complaining about interference in the university polls. In the last two days, eight BJP legislators have issued statements condemning the role of what they describe as "event management professionals" in the elections.

The campaigning for the student elections came to an end on Monday evening and voting will take place on Wednesday.

Mr Kishor joined Nitish Kumar's party in October after nearly six years as an election strategist for not just the Bihar Chief Minister but also Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Congress.

His first assignment is to build the students' wing of the party. Polls to the Patna University Students' Union elections will take place tomorrow.