Congress's poll strategist Sunil Kanugolu, Prashant Kishor’s former aide, set to be appointed as Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah's adviser

BENGALURU: Congress's poll strategist Sunil Kanugolu, who is credited with having led the party's successful campaign in the just-concluded Karnataka elections, is expected to be appointed chief adviser to chief minister Siddaramaiah with the cabinet-rank status.

Sunil joined Congress in 2022 as head of the campaign strategy and is a member of the party's task force for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Sources said the government is likely to issue Kanugolu's appointment order in a day or two.

Kanugolu, a former consultant with McKinsey, was earlier associated with ace pollster Prashant Kishor, and both were part of PM Narendra Modi's 2014 campaign. Kanugolu, 41, now runs his own election management firm, Mindshare Analytics, and manages elections for parties. The Congress's 'PayCM' campaign against the BJP government that became an instant hit with the voters, is said to be Kanugolu's baby.