The latest debacles of Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in the assembly elections of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu respectively once again triggered the discussion on the credibility of election consultancy firm – Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC).
Both the parties engaged I-PAC for the just concluded elections in their respective states spending hundreds of crores, but the outcome has proved that I-PAC has failed to do any magic for these parties.
Once hailed as India’s most formidable election consultancy, I-PAC now finds itself battling a deepening credibility crisis, as it might lose the relevance and effectiveness in the coming years.
The exit of popular strategist Prashant Kishor from day-to-day operations has definitely weakened I-PAC’s intellectual base.
Kishor, widely regarded as the brain behind the firm’s early successes, has shifted focus to his own political venture, Jan Suraaj.
In his absence, the organisation is now steered by a collective leadership including Pratik Jain, Vinesh Chandel, and Rishi Raj Singh.
However, insiders and observers say none of these leaders could provide the intellectual input and give the campaign sharpness to the parties which engaged the agency.
For example, in 2019 elections, Prashant Kishor steered the YSR Congress party led by Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy to victory in Andhra Pradesh. But by 2024, the I-PAC went into the hands of Rishi Raj Singh, who totally bungled the party’s campaign.
Despite having the advantage of being a ruling party, the YSRCP not only failed to retain power, but also faced a humiliating defeat by winning just 11 seats, thanks to the poor election strategies of I-PAC team led by Rishi Raj Singh.
In fact, Prashant Kishor himself said much in advance that Jagan is going to face a major debacle in 2024 and the TDP-led coalition would come to power.
In the latest Tamil Nadu elections, too, Prashant Kishor was the only person to predict that TVK led by actor Vijay would contest the elections on its own and would come to power.
This is a clear indication that I-PAC lost its credibility and effectiveness after Prashant Kishor left the organisation.
The latest results have once again proved that I-PAC bosses are more interested in making quick money rather than giving the right strategies to the parties.
The firm’s troubles are no longer confined to electoral outcomes. Investigations by the Enforcement Directorate in West Bengal have cast a shadow over its operations, raising questions about financial transparency and political funding mechanisms.
Now, political parties will definitely feel that I-PAC is no longer a trusted agency that can guarantee a victory. Instead, its involvement is beginning to be viewed as a potential risk, raising expectations without delivering commensurate results.
For I-PAC, the path forward is fraught with challenges. Having lost its credibility, it may not find immediate takers for any election in the coming years, unless it reworks its approach, focus on effective strategies and secures victory for at least one political party in any state.
