28-year-old Tejasvi Surya has been chosen by the BJP as its candidate for Bangalore South Lok Sabha seat, earlier held by late Union Minister Ananth Kumar.
In a surprise move, BJP has given the ticket for prestigious Bangalore South constituency to Tejasvi Surya, the 28-year-old lawyer from Karnataka. Tejasvi Surya who is general secretary of BJP youth wing, Karnataka and is part of the party's national social media campaign team is known for his oratory skills.
My symbol was lion, when I stood for Head Boy, now opportunity to work under Lion: Tejasvi Surya recalls his first poll
As part of party's social media campaign, Tejasvi has been campaigning down South and also in several cities in Maharashtra among others. A clip from one of his speeches where he slams the Gandhi family, Congress and their governance in the last 60 years recently went viral on social media. It was shared copious number of times on social media with people praising his oratorial flourish.
All anti-India forces have united to stop Modi. While Modi's agenda is building a new & robust India, their agenda is to stop him. They have no positive agenda.
— Chowkidar Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) March 22, 2019
If you are with Modi, you are with India. If you are not with Modi, then you are strengthening anti-India forces. pic.twitter.com/k0mXzqItrG
In the Lok Sabha election, Tejasvi though has some hurdles to overcome. He will be contesting from Bangalore South seat, which was late Ananth Kumar's bastion. After his death, most expected Kumar's wife Tejaswini to get the ticket. However, the party has opted for a young face. Tejaswini on her part has dubbed the decision shocking but have assured to extend full support to ensure PM Modi gets another term.
Karnataka will go to polls in a single phase on April 18.
1. 'Surprise, gratitude'
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Surya has said the candidature comes with a mix of "surprise and a sense of gratitude."
2. 'Only BJP recognises potential of karyakartas'
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Speaking to ANI, Surya said: "It is a mix of surprise and sense of gratitude. Have been an active karyakarta from days in ABVP; It is the only party that recognises the potential of karyakartas."
3. 'Tejaswini Ananth Kumar has given me her blessings'
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Surya, who will be contesting from the seat that late BJP leader Ananth Kumar held earlier, added: "Tejaswini ji (wife of late Union minister Ananth Kumar) has given me her blessings, she has also instructed all the karyakartas who were anticipating her candidature that the party's decision is the foremost decision and we all have to respect it."
4. Shocking, but stand by the party's decision: Tejaswini Ananth Kumar
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Late Union Minister Ananth Kumar's wife Tejaswini said that she was shocked but will stand by the party's decision.
"It is shocking to all of my supporters and also to me. At the same time, I have been telling them and to myself that it is very important to show that we are a party with a difference. This is the time to show our maturity and to work for the country. Let's not think of small things and our bigger goal is nation first," Tejaswini told ANI.
"I stand with the party's decision. Let's not start asking questions. If we have to contribute to the country then we have to work for Modi Ji," she said.
5. 'BJP wants to build second line of leaders'
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The BJP central leadership announced in the early hours Tuesday the name of Surya, a lawyer and the party's national social media campaign team. He will take on Congress Rajya Sabha member B K Hariprasad. The reason behind projecting Surya, said BJP sources, was to build a second line of young and talented leaders who can lead the party and the nation.
Endowed with oratorial skills, Surya was involved in strengthening the party base in the city as well as in coastal Karnataka, especially around Mangaluru and Udupi, the BJP strongholds.
6. Prestigious constituency
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Highly politically conscious Bangalore South has remained anti-Congress since 1977, barring once when former late chief minister R Gundu Rao got elected in the 1989 polls.
Bangalore South has eight assembly segments, with BJP holding five and Congress three after the 2018 assembly polls. True to its cosmopolitan nature, the constituency has considerable share of Brahmin, Vokkaliga and Muslim voters and a mix of upper and middle-class voters.
The constituency was under the hold of the erstwhile Janata Party after the 1977, 1980 and 1984 general elections and from 1991-2014 in successive parliament elections, BJP has maintained its grip, mostly with Ananth Kumar, who first got elected to Lok Sabha in 1996, as MP.
Senior leader Ananth Kumar, who died last year after battling cancer, represented Bangalore South for six terms and had defeated IT czar Nandan Nilekani in the 2014 polls.
