Our Special Correspondent

The much-publicized renowned poll strategist Prashant Kishor’s IPac’s services to the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) in the state for the upcoming assembly polls is reportedly hit a roadblock. He reportedly decided to withdraw his firm’s contract as he was upset with the KCR’s latest decision to form a new national party and name it Bharatiya Rashtra Party (BRP) replacing the existing party name.  

According to some sources close to the Chief Minister, he has decided to formally launch the party on October 5.

The agreement that IPac reached with the TRS party was only confined to the state assembly polls. Now under the new banner and expanding its electoral canvas, the IPac is believed to have felt it may not be acceptable to it, it is reliably learnt.
 
As part of that exercise, it has also reportedly asked its team members who were working in the Munugod assembly constituency to come back.  

The Election Commission is expected to announce the election schedule at any time as it has already initiated the process. The by-poll coincides with the elections of the two states – Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh – where it’s due in December this year. On a trial basis, the IPac is believed to have conducted preliminary surveys and sounded the TRS chief that he has to ask more than half of his sitting MLAs to pull up their socks. 
In other words, he pressed alarm bells to KCR and his party.

 It may be recalled that while addressing the party legislators, KCR did warn those non-performing MLAs to perform or perish. However, he held back his threat later when there were rumors that some disgruntled MLAs may as well desert the BJP, which is determined to capture power this time around by hook or crook, indeed opened up its gates from people from other political parties to join its ranks. KCR’s once close confidant and realtor Rameshwar Rao embraced the BJP. 

This was just before two senior Congress leaders – Komatireddy Venkatreddy and Konda Visweshwar Reddy – joined the saffron party. A panicked KCR even declared that all sitting MLAs to get renominated soon in the upcoming assembly elections.
 

Meanwhile, the BJP leadership has also realized its folly to encourage large-scale desertions from the Opposition as it may demoralize its cadres as well ticket aspirants across the state. In sharp contrast, KCR’s reassurance to re-nominate all sitting MLAs, as well as the formation of a new national party, is reportedly bringing rejuvenation among its cadres.  
 
But, what are the options left before KCR and his party in the event of IPac withdrawing its contract? Will he fall back on his former strategist, AARAA strategies, or look out for an alternate agency? AARAA is an independent and credible agency and is associated with the TRS for doing pre-poll surveys for assembly as well as the GHMC polls in the past.