PM wants Kahlon to lead Likud campaign

Benjamin Netanyahu is concerned over the decrease in public support, expected to offer Moshe Kahlon leading role in party's election campaign

Yuval Karni|Published: 10.21.12 , 11:16

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to offer soon-to-be former Minister Moshe Kahlon to head the Likud Party's election headquarters.

Kahlon is expected to take the leading role, navigating the campaign as the "social persona" of the Likud, in order to reach Likud activists.

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A Likud official said that the current polls are a cause for concern to Netanyahu, as they show a drop in public support. Requesting Kahlon to lead the campaign is meant as "damage control" to counter Aryeh Deri's return to Shas' leadership, the official added.

Likud HQ officials confirmed that the PM is considering placing Kahlon in charge of the campaign, but Kahlon said he has yet to be offered any role.

A senior Likud member said: "Netanyahu is stressed over the Kahlon's story; he didn't estimate his quitting politics to cause such a response."

Several Likud candidates reported concern over assessments that the party will not win more than 26-28 mandates in the coming elections.

Meanwhile, sources in the Likud said Netanyahu plans to hire the same strategic consultants that worked with him in previous years, to aid the Likud's campaign.