Is the Covid pandemic back in Andhra Pradesh? Anyone who attends the YSR Congress Party’s campaign meetings these days will definitely have this doubt, as youngsters wearing face masks are all over the place. A closer look, though, will reveal that they are the members of I-PAC (Indian Political Action Committee), a political consultancy that has been working for the YSRCP for the past five years. And the masks are not for protection against the virus but privacy shields. Apparently, many I-PAC members had faced online harassment by troll armies. And they suspect the involvement of Showtime Consulting, a firm that works for the Telugu Desam Party, as both maintain intel on each other.
Behind the battle on the electoral stage between the YSRCP and the alliance of the TDP, the BJP, and the Jana Sena party is a proxy war between the poll strategists of these parties. Prashant Kishor, the biggest name in the industry, is indirectly backing the TDP in coordination with Showtime, led by the senior poll consultant Robbin Sharrma. I-PAC is helmed by IITian Rishi Raj Singh. All three are bound by their past association with I-PAC, when they played key roles in Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s padyatra before the assembly elections in 2019. After that, Sharrma moved out to make his own company and Kishor got busy with his political aspirations. It is said that a dispute over financial matters led to Kishor completely disassociating himself with I-PAC last year.
“We look up to the analogy of Arjuna and Drona. In war, you have to fight your enemy, even if he had mentored you,” said an I-PAC employee who did not wish to be named. Kishor met TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu and son Lokesh last year. Though he later denied working for the party, it is said that he is playing a role in the TDP’s campaign. A small team reportedly sits in the TDP office in Hyderabad and coordinate with Showtime and the party, and reports to Kishor. “He is involved in the digital strategies and effective ad designs of the TDP campaigns, and provides inputs on key matters,” said a Showtime employee.
At Showtime, it is a happy reunion as Kishor guides the new ship steered by his protégés. A senior YSRCP leader said that Kishor’s primary interest was to show I-PAC its place by defeating the YSRCP, but, at the same time, not put his reputation at stake by acknowledging it. For I-PAC the stakes are high as it wants to show the world that it is as good with or without Kishor. On the other hand, a victory against the YSRCP and I-PAC would elevate Showtime to the top spot in the business.
I-PAC, which has around 600 employees and offices in Vijayawada and Hyderabad, designed the popular Sidhham campaign for the YSRCP. Showtime, which also has about as many employees, designed the viral campaign of the TDP, #BabunuMalliRappidham. It has an office only in Hyderabad. Poaching is common in the segment, and every employee who switches sides comes with a lot of internal data and knowledge. “It is a stressful job. Sometimes, we end up working for 18 hours a day. You should be good with multitasking and handling internal politics. Though the pay is good, the work takes a toll on your health,” said a youngster who has worked for both I-PAC and Showtime. The employees are posted to different wings such as political intelligence, research, campaign designs, digital media and WhatsApp propagation depending on their training and expertise.
Andhra Pradesh has one more big shot in the business, the low-profile Sunil Kanugolu who was instrumental in the Congress victory in the Karnataka assembly elections. In the Telangana assembly elections also Kanugolu played a key role for the Congress with designing campaigns, formulating poll promises, participating in candidate selection and facilitating the entry of leaders from other parties. Given the Congress’s pathetic condition in Andhra Pradesh, Kanugolu has not deployed much resources in the state. A two-member team assists state party president Y.S. Sharmila with agenda points, narrative and social media from the Congress war room in Hyderabad. Increasing its vote share and winning an assembly seat or two will be an achievement for Kanugolu.
Actor Pawan Kalyan, who founded the Jana Sena Party, also gets help from some bright minds. His popular line, ‘Hello AP, bye-bye YCP’, and other campaigns were designed by the Hyderabad-based Pramanya Strategy Consulting. Headed by Sravanth Devabhaktini, the team has some 100 members and offices in Vijayawada and Hyderabad. The firm has expertise in war room management and creative media strategies using generative artificial intelligence, and it had worked in 18 states and with dozens of political leaders.
It seems the outcome of the political battle in Andhra Pradesh is important not just for the parties and leaders, but also for their poll managers.