Young turk gets ticket.
On a day of high-octane movements, BJP announced four more candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections including BJP Youth Wing General Secretary Tejsavi Surya LS from Bangalore South.
JP Nadda announced: “It has been declared that Rupak Sharma will contest Lok Sabha Elections 2019 from Nowgong (Assam), Ashwat Narain from Bangalore Rural (Karnataka), Tejasvi Surya LS from Bangalore South (Karnataka) & Rajveer Singh Balmiki from Hathras (Uttar Pradesh).”
He is also a practising lawyer in the Karnataka High Court.
Even in 2014, when he was just 23 years old, Tejasvi Surya was in high demand as a campaigner. In 2014, he had addressed rallies in Pune, Chennai and Mumbai.
Tejasvi Surya had become an internet sensation after an impassioned speech defending PM Modi and hitting out at the Opposition leaders.
After getting nomination, Tejasvi Surya thanked BJP top brass, late Ananth Kumar and other's on Twitter.
Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman wrote: “ Congratulations @Tejasvi_Surya. Wishing you all the very best in the forthcoming elections. All of us together shall ensure #PhirEkBaarModiSarkar”
Congratulations @Tejasvi_Surya. Wishing you all the very best in the forthcoming elections. All of us together shall ensure #PhirEkBaarModiSarkar
— Chowkidar Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) March 25, 2019
Happy to see the young and talented @Tejasvi_Surya get nominated to contest the prestigious Bengaluru South Lok Sabha. Congratulations and all the best!
— Chowkidar Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) March 25, 2019
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
Pani Puri at Girinagar Circle is a must try. If you happen to pass by this circle, stop and have two plates minimum! pic.twitter.com/whn1YjzIF9
— Chowkidar Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) March 25, 2019
1. 'Surreal feeling'
)
After winning the nomination, Tejasvi Surya described it as surreal feeling. He said that he is not able to sleep with excitement thinking about all he can do for Bangalore South.
Tejasvi also thanked the top leadership of the party. He said:
OMG OMG!!! I can't believe this.
— Chowkidar Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) March 25, 2019
PM of world's largest democracy & President of largest political party have reposed faith in a 28 yr old guy to represent them in a constituency as prestigious as B'lore South. This can happen only in my BJP. Only in #NewIndia of @narendramodi
I am humbled. Grateful. Overwhelmed. I thank PM @narendramodi for giving me this opportunity. I can't thank you enough, Modi Ji. I promise you that I shall work ceaselessly for our motherland till my last breath. That is the only way I can repay this debt of gratitude. THANK YOU!
— Chowkidar Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) March 25, 2019
2. Tejasvi recalled his experience of meeting Amit Shah
)
BJP candidate from Bangalore South, Tejasvi said, "Last year, I had opportunity to talk to our Hon'ble President @AmitShah Ji. The one hour conversation with him left me so motivated that I couldn't sleep for a week. His determination, conviction to ideology is infectious"
3. Trouble for alliance
)
If Muddahanumegowda contests from Tumkur as a rebel, it will add to the Congress-JD(S) coalition woes as the alliance is facing backlash at several places, including Mandya and Hassan, with party workers unhappy with the seat arrangements.
For the coalition to emerge as a formidable opposition to BJP and win more number of seats,it is crucial for Congress to transfer its votes to JD(S), and vice-versa, including Mandya.
Among others who filed their nominations Monday were BJP's sitting MPs Prathap Simha (Mysore) and Nalin Kumar Kateel (Dakshina Kannada) and former MLA Bachche Gowda (Chikkaballapura), Muniswamy (Kolar) and A Manju (Hassan).
Manju,who filed his nomination in the presence of state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa had joined BJP, irked over Congress' decision to cede Hassan to its coalition partner JD(S).
He was earlier with BJP before joining Congress and becoming Minister in the previous Siddaramaiah led government and again returning to the saffron party.
Among those from Congress who filed nominations were Dhruvanarayana (Chamarajanagar), Rizwan Arshad (Bangalore Central), Mithun Rai (Dakshina Kannada), B N Chandrappa (Chitradurga), Vijayshankar (Mysore), K H Muniyappa (Kolar).
Pramod Madhwaraj, a former Congress Minister, filed his nomination from Udupi-Chikmagalur on a JD(S) ticket, as per the arrangement between both parties.
Karnataka will go for polls in two phases, 14 constituencies each, on April 18 and 23.
The last date for filing of nominations for the first phase is on March 26. Scrutiny will take place on March 27 and the last date for withdrawal is March 29.
For the second phase polls on April 23, notification will be issued on March 28.
The last date for filing nominations is April 4. Scrutiny will take place on April 5 and the last day for withdrawal is April 8.
Counting of votes and announcement of results for both phases will be on May 23.
4. Problem for JD(S)-Cong in Tumkur
)
Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, his grandson Nikhil, Union Minister Sadananda Gowda and senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily were among109 candidates who filed their nominations Monday for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka on April 18.
A total of 148 nominations were received from 109 candidates Monday, poll officials said, adding that cumulative nominations filed so far stood at 231 from 181 candidates.
While Deve Gowda filed his nomination from Tumkur, his grandson and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy filed his papers from the JD(S) bastion of Mandya.
Sadananda Gowda and Moily filed their nominations from their sitting seats of Bangalore North and Chikkaballapura.
Tuesday being the last day for filing nominations for the first phase of polling on April 18, most of the candidates filed their nominations on Monday.
Deve Gowda filed his nomination from Tumkur as the ruling alliance candidate, but will have to face a rebel candidate from alliance partner Congress.
Defying the electoral arrangement between the coalition partners under which Tumkur was allotted to JD(S), sitting Congress MP S P Muddahanumegowda filed his papers.
He is upset as he is only Congress sitting members of Lok Sabha from the state who have been denied a ticket.
K N Rajanna, another Congress leader and former MLA, also filed his nomination Monday from Tumkur as an independent.
85 year-old Gowda submitted his papers at the Deputy Commissioner's office in Tumkur in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara of Congress and other leaders.
5. Sumalatha to get BJP support
)
Gowda, who gave Hassan Lok Sabha seat he has been representing to his other grandson Prajwal Revanna, chose Tumkur over Bangalore North seat.
BJP has fielded G S Basavaraj from Tumkur.
Nikhil filed his papers at Mandya, where a large number of party workers had gathered, in what was seen as a show of strength against independent candidate and multi lingual actress Sumalatha.
He filed his nomination in the presence of his uncle and PWD Minister H D Revanna, mother Anitha, an MLA and Minister D K Shivakumar from Congress.
Later addressing the gathering, Kumaraswamy hit out at Sumalatha, who has BJP's support, questioning her contribution to Mandya, while Nikhil vowed to work for the people.
Nikhil's candidacy has been opposed by many,who see it as dynasty politics being imposed on Mandya by the Gowda family, who hail from Hassan, at the cost of loyal party workers.
Many Congress workers, upset over their party's decision to cede the seat to JD(S), have also extended support to Sumalatha, widow of actor turned politician Ambareesh, who had represented Mandya as MP from the grand old party in the past.
Sumalatha was denied a ticket by the Congress, citing coalition compulsions, as JD(S) had a sitting MP there.
6. Tejasvi describes Ananth Kumar as first Guru
)
Ananthkumar Ji. My first guru in public life. He has seen me grow up since my high school days. I have learnt so much seeing him, talking to him and just seeing him at work. He is one of the tallest leaders of Karnataka ever. I am eternally grateful to him. pic.twitter.com/KGGKSlTNtM
— Chowkidar Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) March 25, 2019
