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What Political Strategist Prashant Kishor Had To Say About Tamil Nadu Politics

October 30, 2023
The Commune

Speaking at an event named, “Sharp Insights on India 2024”, political strategist Prashant Kishor shared his thoughts and observations on various aspects of politics, especially with the upcoming parliamentary elections as the central theme. 

Money Power & Tamil Nadu Politics

 Describing the intricacies of different states and how caste and money can play a role, Prashant Kishor spoke of how money played a major role in TN politics. He said, “If I am talking, interviewing the candidate in Tamil Nadu or Andhra, they will say, sir, I can spend 20 crores. And I say, but I have not asked you. No, no, sir, I am just telling you that I have the financial resources, don’t you worry.”

A member of the audience asked about the TN BJP, “Has BJP got its playbook right for Tamil Nadu, and should they get impatient with the next election results”. Prashant Kishor replied, “I don’t know what BJP’s playbook is in Tamil Nadu. But all I can say is that the BJP will be a political force here, much bigger and stronger than what most people would like to believe. That doesn’t mean that they are winning the election tomorrow or in two years’ time. But they, as a political entity, they will gain traction and ground, probably more reflected in the increasing vote share as well. That is something what I see over the next three to five years, 10 years maybe. That is not because of the BJP. By Tamil Nadu, I must give you this data. Tamil Nadu is one of the unique states where in the last 20 years more than 30% of voters are not voting for either the ruling party or the principal opposition. So that means one-third of Tamil people are not convinced with either DMK or the AIADMK, so theoretically it gives you the space, anyone who wants to try new of course if BJP comes, they will take even one-third of that will give them 10-12% vote and you would have seen some startup political startups in Tamil Nadu getting 4% 5% 8% vote but they haven’t been able to build from their own so there is 30% of voters in Tamil Nadu who are not necessarily convinced with exist that have not been convinced over the last 20 years about DMK and AIADMK put together.”

On DMK & AIADMK

A question raised by political commentator and actor Kasturi, “In your judgment and your experience in the last assembly elections and your judgment going forward in Tamil Nadu, do you think it is going to to be a personality-based contest or an ideological contest or an issue based contest or just a financial equation just a financial transaction?” 

Prashant Kishor replied, “Maybe mix of all but less on ideological thing unless BJP becomes a major force is simply because both contestants DMK and AIADMK are claiming the same ideological legacy. So, of course, there is no meaningful difference in the ideology of the DMK and AIDMK. So, then it becomes the other things. If you give four, I am just ranking it. It would be the personality, this is the society that loves the heroes. You guys love it. This is exclusive, unique to Tamil Nadu. The hero worship is like, I have always been intrigued that how in a society like Tamil Nadu people will come and they will not do pranam, they like… Sashtang namaskar. Sashtang namaskar, publicly in mass. So, I don’t think anybody can get that done in UP or Bihar. It’s very difficult. So, that’s the trait of the society, I would say. So, personality makes a great deal of… So, that’s one. Money increasingly would not play the role because both sides are going to fund it. Both sides know who to bribe and how much to bribe. So, that also gets neutralised. Ideology gets neutralised. So, increasingly it will become personality and the governance track record. Because as you get more educated, aware, probably people will seek more accountable governance than what they have been doing until now.”

BJP In Tamil Nadu

Talking of TN BJP he also said, “See, most of these parties, especially in the Tamil Nadu also, you experience yourself. In the two-party system, the problem is that sometimes they are trained or they have lived and they have got their successes just simply by being there for five years. They know after five years, they will anyway be voted back. My philosophy is that if I have to fight someone, I must take cognizance and appreciate the strength of my opponent, then only I could defeat them. But if I think, oh, BJP is not a force, what happened with TMC in the 2019 Lok Sabha, they remained literally in denial. Oh, there is no BJP. Like in Tamil Nadu, we are saying there is no BJP. If you remain in denial forever, then your competitor will come and have a better of you sooner or later.”

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