BENGALURU: Of the many fake news doing the rounds this election season, a saffron-coloured poster purportedly by BJP vice president Tejaswini Ananth Kumar has created quite a stir. The poster that has gone viral on WhatsApp groups reads, “Vote NOTA in Bengaluru South to support Tejaswini Ananth Kumar ji”.
However, Tejaswini clarified in a tweet: “It came to my knowledge that somebody is spreading rumours about me asking people to vote for NOTA. This is unfounded and malicious.” She later held a press meet to announce that the poster is fake.
She told TNIE: “It is false. Someone is intentionally doing this to damage the party and me. I have formally complained to the Election Commission and I have also spoken to police officers, especially from the cyber division about it.’’
The poster read: “We all karyakarthas know that Tejaswini Ananth Kumar was the most deserving candidate to become the member of Parliament from Bengaluru South. Due to the games played by other members of BJP she has missed the ticket and an immature, arrogant boy has taken her place. Let us vote for NOTA in high numbers to show the high command that we are all with Tejaswini Ananth Kumar ji.’’
“I have always said, vote for BJP to make Narendra Modi Prime Minister once again and have been campaigning in the same way. There is no need to vote for NOTA,” she said, adding she has filed a police complaint in the matter and the cyber crime division had also been requested to take strict action.
When asked why she had not campaigned for BJP candidate from Bangalore South Tejasvi Surya for so many days, Tejaswini said, “I did not do a very visible campaign.’’