New Delhi: Sunil Kanugolu is usually in comparison with Prashant Kishor, a person he has labored with up to now. There are various issues widespread between the 2 — each dabble in election technique, each have labored with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and each have since crossed over to the opposite aspect.
The one factor that’s distinctly totally different between the 2 is Kanugolu’s obsession with maintaining a low profile.
In truth, what makes Kanugolu stand out, say Congress sources, is his capability to not stand out in a crowd and his clear intent to maintain it that approach.
As one senior Congress chief put it: “He’s as elusive as Bagheera (the black panther from Rudyard Kipling’s Mowgli tales), and leaves no path.”
“He comes and goes, and of the 100 individuals within the portico (at 24, Akbar Highway, the Congress headquarters), not one takes a second have a look at him, so peculiar does he seem,” the chief added.
He’s additionally not the chatty type, say others, exchanging not more than naked pleasantries with individuals past the highest management of the get together.
Kanugolu, who’s initially from Karnataka’s Ballari district, joined the Congress earlier this 12 months.
He was subsequently picked by the get together to spearhead its election technique in his house state, which fits to polls subsequent 12 months.
Within the Congress, Kanugolu interacts with solely a handful of senior leaders, together with get together basic secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal and Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Surjewala who can also be the in-charge for Karnataka.
Kanugolu’s job has been described by one Congress supply as one thing that contains “floor listening and surveys”.
He’s presently working for the get together in Telangana as effectively.
On Tuesday, the Telangana Police carried out raids at Kanugolu’s workplace in Hyderabad. The Congress management has alleged that this was an try by the state’s Ok Chandrashekar Rao authorities to “suppress dissent”.
The raids have been held over alleged derogatory posts in opposition to the Telangana chief minister and the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi.
Venugopal tweeted: “The motion of Cyberabad police in seizing the workplace of #SunilKanugolu is a blatant try and suppress dissent. It’s aimed toward defunctioning @INCTelangana struggle room which is at full swing. Come what might, we are going to proceed our campaign in opposition to corruption by Telangana CM & his household.”
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One-time Modi aide
Kanugolu is former head of the Affiliation of Sensible Minds (ABM) — the BJP’s personalised marketing campaign organisation — and now chief of political consulting agency Mindshare Analytics.
In accordance with data submitted to the Ministry of Company Affairs, as a director, Kanugolu has been related to three firms — SR Impartial Fisheries Non-public Restricted, SR Naturo Meals Non-public Restricted, and Brainstorm Innovation and Analysis Non-public Restricted.
“Sunil Kanugolu was beforehand related to two firms, SR Marine Meals Non-public Restricted and Residents For Accountable Governance Non-public Restricted,” says a list on thecompanycheck.
Residents for Accountable Governance was conceptualised by Prashant Kishor and was in control of the BJP’s marketing campaign for the 2014 Lok Sabha election.
Kanugolu entered the sector of election evaluation and technique when he met then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi with a presentation utilizing information analytics on easy methods to attain out to extra voters.
A former McKinsey advisor, Kanugolu quickly turned advisor to the person who would go on to turn into prime minister. It was throughout that point that he additionally labored with Kishor and his Residents for Accountable Governance.
Kanugolu’s affiliation with the BJP continued for a number of years and his electoral successes embody the get together’s ascension to energy in Uttar Pradesh in 2017.
Nonetheless, quickly afterwards, he started to gravitate in direction of the Congress and at last joined it in March this 12 months, due to — say some leaders — the get together’s reluctance to have interaction an exterior strategist who was not a member of the Congress.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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