Patna, May 25: The JDU is leaving nothing to chance when it comes to strategising for the upcoming Assembly elections.

It has formulated a three-pronged strategy - tapping anti-BJP parties, campaigning in the real and virtual world and conducting a survey to read voters' mood -for the same.

The party is trying to stitch a pre-poll alliance with all anti-BJP forces. Efforts to open a dialogue with the Lalu Prasad-led RJD are part of this move. The JDU has also hinted at bringing the Congress and Left parties under the same umbrella.

Internally, the party has planned a major campaign using the real and virtual world to reach out to people and communicate that their benefit lies in re-electing Nitish Kumar as chief minister.

"Roping in Prashant Kishor, who had handled Narendra Modi's campaign ahead of the last general elections, was part of this effort," a senior JDU leader said. He said Kishor held a prolonged meeting with Nitish a few days back where he was briefed about the broader issues the chief minister wants to project in the coming elections.

 

He was also asked to prepare a blueprint for the campaign blitzkrieg. JDU general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP RCP Singh has been given the task of coordinating with Kishor. "He would provide all details Kishor seeks for preparing the advertisement campaign," said the JDU leader.

Nitish would take a look at the blueprint once it is prepared and things would move ahead only after he gives his nod. "Nitish ji is very particular that his pet issues like 'development with justice' and 'fulfilling the promises he made to the people' are highlighted properly during the campaign," the leader said.

Amid the apparent straining of ties with the RJD over the issue of leadership, Nitish does not want to keep things for the last minute, as far as formulating strategy for the party is concerned.

 

On Monday, Nitish sent a four-member team to all 38 districts to collect feedback from the ground and read the voters' pulse.

The team has been categorically asked to seek public opinion on the issue of alliance with the RJD. The team consists of two persons from the party and two from a private agency hired to conduct poll surveys.

Asked about the parameters of the survey, a senior JDU leader said on condition of anonymity: "They will first go to the district headquarters and meet party workers to get feedback. Next, they would disperse to cover the Assembly segments in that particular district. "

The decision was taken on Saturday after Nitish met senior leaders at 7 Circular Road. Rajeev Ranjan Singh, better known as Lallan Singh, and Shyam Rajak were also present apart from RCP Singh. State JDU chief Bashishtha Narayan Singh has been asked to monitor the survey and report to Nitish on a daily basis.

Speaking further on the strategy, the JDU leader said: "The team has been categorically asked to seek voters' opinion on the alliance issue so that things could be planned accordingly in future ."