Kolkata, August 1: Poll strategist group Indian Political Action Committee (IPAC), headed by Prashant Kishor, has made a slew of suggestions to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as part of its strategy for the Trinamool Congress (TMC) ahead of the 2021 state assembly elections. Mamata Banerjee has reportedly been asked to restrain herself while fighting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Prashant Kishor's IPAC suggested a three-stop mantra for Mamata Banerjee - stop getting angry, stop taking communal divides, stop fighting the BJP. "Get out of election mode. Get out of war mode. Return to peace and do your job: Govern" - this was Kishor's message to Banerjee, NDTV reported. The chief minister, who is also known as "street fighter", is believed to be willing to give it a try. Nitish Kumar Reacts on Prashant Kishor Signing Up With Mamata Banerjee, Says 'Its His Personal Decision'.

"We all know the chief minister shouldn't have reacted the way she did to "Jai Shri Ram". The problem is, who will tell her? We have," IPAC sources were quoted as saying. On May 30, Banerjee reacted furiously when some people were chanting "Jai Shri Ram" when her motorcade was passing through the troubled Bhatpara area of North 24 Parganas district. TDP Denies Reports of Hiring Prashant Kishor's Political Consultancy IPAC.

While some TMC leaders are of the view that Kishor's strategy might not work because he knows nothing of Bengal and its politics, many others have decided to wait and watch, the report said. Meanwhile, Banerjee appears to have started implementing suggestions made by Kishor's IPAC. On Monday, the day she launched the 'Didi Ke Bolo', she was restrained when asked about the Unnao rape case.

"We expected her to attack the prime minister in her usual angry style. But you must have noticed that while condemning the incident strongly, she ended with an appeal to the prime minister to intervene," a TMC leader present at the media interaction told NDTV. Kishor's IPAC is in the process of hiring 1,000 people in the state for Project Mamata.

It is to be known that Kishor is the same person who had worked with Jagan Mohan Reddy in Andhra Pradesh in recent Assembly elections and as a result, YSRCP formed a government in the state. Also, he had helped Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United in Bihar and led successful campaigns of Narendra Modi in 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 01, 2019 08:42 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).