BENGALURU: Sunil Kanugolu, a key political strategist credited with shaping the Congress party's electoral successes in Telangana, Karnataka, and Kerala, has been appointed as the chief advisor to Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. The appointment follows the Congress-led United Democratic Front's victory in the recently concluded Kerala assembly elections, where Kanugolu's campaign strategy and messaging played a pivotal role.
Background and Rise to Prominence
Kanugolu, born in Karnataka and now in his early 40s, first gained widespread recognition for his instrumental role in the Congress party's 2023 Karnataka assembly election victory. He is widely regarded as the architect of the party's aggressive anti-corruption campaign against the previous BJP government, including the highly publicized 'PayCM' campaign targeting then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
Contributions to Congress Victories
In Telangana, Kanugolu helped the Congress highlight alleged corruption under the K Chandrashekar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi government, contributing to the party's strong performance. Beyond state elections, he is also credited with strategizing Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, an initiative that many Congress leaders believe revitalized the party's grassroots connections.
Past Work with BJP
Interestingly, Kanugolu has previously worked with the Bharatiya Janata Party. He was part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2014 election campaign and later contributed to the BJP's electoral strategies in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. In the 2018 Karnataka assembly elections, he worked with the BJP, which emerged as the single-largest party with 104 seats. Kanugolu formally joined the Congress in 2024 and has since become one of the party's most influential backroom strategists.
(With agency inputs)
