Poll strategist Prashant Kishor’s meeting with Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav has angered a section in the Congress with Uttar Pradesh unit chief Raj Babbar claiming that he did not have the mandate to speak on the alliance issue. Congress leaders are of the view that negotiations on any alliance with a political party have to be carried out by party leadership and not the poll strategist. The party has repeatedly clarified that Kishor’s role is limited to only suggesting relevant points for the manifesto and the election campaign in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. A senior Congress functionary said it was made clear to Kishor before his appointment that he will have no role in organisational affairs, ticket distribution or in forging electoral alliances. I don’t believe Congress mandated him to do so,” Babbar said on Kishor’s meeting with the SP supremo at senior leader Amar Singh’s residence in the national capital.

Source: Hindustan Times November 02, 2016 19:30 UTC