For Talk Of Prashant Kishor Help To Congress In Punjab Polls, A Denial

Chandigarh: Star election strategist Prashant Kishor is not involved in campaigns for any state elections, his group Indian Political Action Committee or I-PAC said on Friday, amid reports that he may help the Congress party for upcoming Punjab polls.

"I-PAC or Prashant Kishor are not involved in any state elections or advising any political party or their leader in any capacity on their campaign strategy-directly or indirectly. Any form of speculation or reports suggesting the same is completely baseless," the group said on Twitter.

Citing unnamed sources, the Press Trust of India had reported on Friday that the Punjab unit of Congress is likely to seek his help in the run-up to the assembly elections in the state slated in early 2017.

Congress has been out of power for the last nine years, having been defeated twice by ruling Akali-BJP combine.
 Reports had said Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh may align with Mr Kishor, who shot to fame after commandeering the winning campaigns of PM Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and will hand over the poll strategy to him soon.

Mr Kishor has already met Amarinder and sent his team all over the state to make an assessment of the ground situation and carry out a survey ahead of formulating the party's strategy, reports had said citing unnamed sources.

Mr Singh is also working on strengthening its social media team and will also start his interactions with youth in colleges and educational institutions in the state, keeping in view the estimated 50 per cent youth in the state, the reports had said.