Going gets tough for Tejasvi Surya

TEJASVI Surya is a powerful orator and the national president of the BJP Yuva Morcha.

- DEVARAJ B HIREHALLI

Yet, the sitting Bengaluru South MP hasn't campaigned elsewhere, as he is facing a really tough fight. His challenger is Congress candidate Sowmya Reddy, daughter of state transport minister Ramalinga Reddy.

Speculation is rife that hawala cash is flowing like water in this prestigious constituency. When Election Commission officials recently seized ₹1.4 crore from a car, Sowmya blamed on the BJP. Tejaswi Surya (33) promptly lobbed the ball back demanding an impartial probe. This political potboiler will reach its climax on April 26, when voters will give their verdict.

Ramalinga Reddy represents BTM Layout in the assembly. Sowmya was elected Jayanagara MLA in 2018 by failed to retain it by a whisker in 2023. Of the eight assembly segments in this constituency, five are with the BJP and three with the Congress. But that isn't giving Surya much comfort.

Since Karnataka is the home turf of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, the party is pulling out all the stops to wrest as many seats as possible, hence the candidature of the Reddy scion. Reddy's bonhomie with leaders cutting across party lines, including the BJP, and the respect he commands from the common folk is visible. The Congress feels he could go past the party's traditional vote bank and catch the floating votes to tilt the scales.