Political strategist Prashant Kishor has foreseen significant advances for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the southern and eastern regions of India, traditionally regarded as weak areas for the ruling party. Speaking to PTI, Kishor underscored the BJP’s projected upsurge in states such as Telangana, Odisha and Bengal, where it seeks to establish a potent presence.

PK, as Prashant Kishor is often referred to, remarked, “The BJP is poised to either lead or come second in Telangana, a noteworthy achievement. They are likely to secure the top position in Odisha without question. Surprisingly, I believe the BJP will emerge as the foremost party in West Bengal.” He also hinted at the BJP potentially securing a double-digit vote share in Tamil Nadu.

Notably, Kishor had previously aided Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee in her successful campaign for the 2021 Bengal elections.

Emphasising that neither the BJP nor Prime Minister Narendra Modi were impervious to defeat, he remarked that the opposition had squandered opportunities.

In several interviews, Kishor has pointed out that while the BJP dominates in the northern and western regions of the country, it often compensates for setbacks in the eastern and southern states.

Telangana, Odisha, Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Kerala collectively hold 204 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha, yet the BJP has struggled to surpass the 50-seat mark in these states in both 2014 and 2019.

Kishor suggested that in the forthcoming election, the BJP would face significant challenges only if the Opposition, particularly the Congress, could ensure the loss of at least 100 seats in their strongholds in the north and the west. However, he expressed skepticism about such an outcome, saying, “By and large, the BJP will be able to maintain its foothold in these regions.”