BENGALURU: They may be miffed with the candidature of Tejasvi Surya for Bangalore South constituency, but leaders of the state BJP unit were forced to put behind their differences and put up a united front at party chief Amit Shah’s rally here on Tuesday evening. Legislators like V Somanna, R Ashoka and Satish Reddy, who until Monday, had not even campaigned with Tejasvi Surya, shared the dais with him as state president BS Yeddyurappa and newly-appointed vice-president Tejaswini Ananth Kumar accompanied Shah.
Shah did not utter a single word but did what he had to do — bring Tejaswini Ananth Kumar, who was the state leadership’s choice for the seat, on the same stage as Tejasvi Surya, who is the central leadership’s choice. In his 1.5-km road show from Banashankari temple in Bangalore South, Shah succeeded in ensuring that a picture of unity was painted.
“The numbers gathered here should translate to votes. Vote for PM Modi, vote for BJP,” said R Ashoka, seeking votes from the saffron surge which swept Banashankari. Thousands of BJP supporters and workers gathered to catch a glimpse of Shah, as half a dozen folk drum troupes kept up the tempo, and loudspeakers blared party campaign songs at the generally busy Banashankari bus terminal junction.
Tejasvi Surya says ‘Apna Time Aayega’, draws huge applause
Sporting saffron T-shirts and headbands, they cheered for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “PM Modi has given a message through Bangalore South, asking the youth to come out and take part in politics. If someone can become an IAS officer at the age of 25, if someone can hit centuries at the age of 26 and become the Indian cricket team’s captain, if at the age of 27-28 people can become CEOs of companies, a 28-yearold can also become an MP,” said Tejasvi Surya, the party’s candidate for Bangalore South. In tune with his youth appeal, the youngster drew applause with his “Apna time aayega” phrase from the recent blockbuster ‘Gully Boy’.
More than 400 women from the party’s Mahila Morcha carried the traditional ‘kalasha’ to welcome the BJP president, who arrived at the venue an hour-and-a-half later than scheduled. Metro coaches heading towards Banashankari were filled with people carrying BJP flags and sporting ‘NaMo again’ and ‘Modi again’ T-shirts. Women party workers, who acknowledged that they were disappointed with Tejaswini not being given the ticket, made it amply clear that it still won’t make them change their vote. “Even when Ananth Kumar was MP, Tejaswini was our go-to person.
We are sad that she isn’t our candidate, but are happy that a youngster has been given an opportunity,” said Nagaveni T, secretary, Bengaluru City BJP Mahila Morcha. Such was the fervour at Banashankari that passersby and commuters got off buses to take part in the roadshow. Bindu Gowda (26) who was on her way from Jayanagar to Kanakapura, jumped off the bus at Banashankari bus terminal. “It is all for Modi,” she said, when asked why she thought it was a good idea.