Ahead of the Delhi assembly elections early next year, Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal announced that Prashant Kishor-led political consultancy firm I-PAC has come on board with the party.

The political advocacy group was part of the successful election campaign of Narendra Modi in 2014 when he was BJP’s prime ministerial candidate. Kishor is now the national vice-president of Bihar’s Janata Dal (United), a key ally of the BJP.

“Happy to share that Indian-PAC is coming on-board with us. Welcome aboard!” Kejriwal said in a tweet.

The Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) replied to the tweet, saying the AAP was seen as the toughest opponent during Punjab polls. Kishor’s electioneering machine worked behind the scenes for the Congress in Punjab.

“After Punjab results, we acknowledged you as the toughest opponent that we have ever faced. Happy to join forces now with Kejriwal and AAP,” the I-PAC said in a tweet.

Elections to the 70-member Delhi assembly are due early next year. The national capital is set to witness a triangular fight with the AAP, which had won 67 seats in the last assembly elections, seeking to retain power by defeating the BJP and the Congress.

The I-PAC had used innovative programmes such as ‘chai par charcha’ in the 2014 campaign for Modi. It worked on a number of successful campaigns since 2014, including the one that brought the JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to power in 2015. The organisation also helped Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy win both state and general elections.

The Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) is currently working on the Trinamool Congress’ re-election campaign for the 2021 West Bengal Assembly polls to aid Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s bid for a third consecutive term.

Kishor has been lately in the news over his criticism of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, which his party JD(U) supported in Parliament.

Rajya Sabha member and president of the Bihar unit of the JD(U) Vashishth Narayan Singh said once the party made its stand clear, leaders should have refrained from “making public their personal views”.

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