It has been a month since YSR Congress party headed by former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has terminated its contract with Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) led by political strategist Rishi Raj Singh.
The contract was renewed sometime in January to help the party to work out the campaign strategies for the next five years.
A 12-member I-PAC team, hired by Jagan for a fee of Rs 2 crore per month, began operating from Vijayawada and its key leaders were regularly visiting the party central office at Tadepalli
However, in March, Jagan decided to terminate the contract and reportedly told the I-PAC team to leave Tadepalli.
Apparently, he has realised that I-PAC was not doing much meaningful groundwork and hence, decided to cut ties with the team.
Rishi Raj Singh reportedly requested the party leadership to continue working, even without payment, for some more time, until he secured another assignment.
Sources said Rishi was given the impression from some senior party leaders that they would convince Jagan to retain him and his team after they gain control over the party.
But a few days ago, when Jagan came to Tadepalli, he noticed the I-PAC team members still hanging around the party office. He reportedly fumed at them why they were still coming to Tadepalli despite the termination of contract.
“Pack up and leave immediately. I don’t want to see you again here,” he reportedly told the I-PAC members. Having no other option, they had to leave the place in a huff.
In fact, sources said many of the I-PAC team members have already left the organisation and joined various other organisations; some of them even chose Showtime Consultancy, working for the Telugu Desam Party and presently N Chandrababu Naidu government.
“For now, I-PAC seems to have got a part — time assignment in Tamil Nadu for the next year’s assembly elections. Otherwise, there are no takers for the I-PAC,” sources said.