NEW DELHI: Congress’ hired political strategist Prashant Kishor was present at JD(U) functionary KC Tyagi’s residence at the same time when Shivpal Yadav was there on Wednesday night. This has triggered speculations on whether Kishor was there at the behest of Congress V-P Rahul Gandhi to explore the possibility of a political realignment. Kishor has an association with Tyagi since he worked for the Grand Alliance in Bihar.
Shivpal’s meeting with Tyagi came hours after the SP leader euphemistically floated the idea of pre-poll alliance between SP-RLD/JDU-Congress in UP. The same day he had called for unity among followers of Ram Manohar Lohia, Charan Singh and Mahatma Gandhi in Lucknow. Tyagi is believed to have briefed senior party leader Sharad Yadav about these deliberations with Shivpal, who acted as SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav’s emissary.
Kishor, who played a crucial part in stitching the RJD-JDU-Congress grand alliance in Bihar, is now working for Rahul Gandhi. He managed Gandhi’s just-concluded Deoria to Delhi Kisan Yatra that covered over 3,000 km across 48 districts and 141 assembly constituencies in UP.
“After Bihar elections, we keep meeting. There was no planned meeting. It was accidental,” KC Tyagi told ET when asked about Kishor’s presence at his residence during his meeting with Shivpal.
“He (Kishor) has nothing to do with this conversation,” Tyagi added. Kishor did not respond to repeated calls and messages from ET. This meeting happened hours after JD(U)’s Sharad Yadav met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday morning. Congress UP incharge Ghulam Nabi Azad too met Sharad on Thursday.
Bureau Report
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