BJP's Tejasvi Surya readies for repeat win in Bengaluru South, Cong hopes on Sowmya Reddy's challenge

Bengaluru: As BJP's National Yuva Morcha chief Tejasvi Surya prepares to repeat his victory in the Bengaluru South Lok Sabha seat, the Congress is hoping that its candidate Sowmya Reddy may be able to reverse the trend.

The BJP has remained unbeatable in Bengaluru South since 1991.

Sowmya Reddy is a former MLA from the Jayanagar Assembly seat in Bengaluru and is the daughter of state Minister for Transport and Muzarai Ramalinga Reddy, who wields considerable influence in the area.

She lost the last Assembly election to a BJP candidate by a slender margin. By fielding her, the Congress hopes to challenge the BJP.

Congress had fielded B.K. Hariprasad in 2019 from here. But, Tejasvi Surya registered a thumping victory with a huge margin of more than 3.31 lakh votes.

In 2014, the Congress had put up Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani as its candidate, but again BJP won with a margin of more than two lakh votes.

With Tejasvi Surya emerging to be a promising leader at the national level as a voice of Hindutva, his proactive approach in the constituency, connect with grassroots workers, the BJP camp is upbeat and sure of repeating the history.

The Parliamentary constituency comprises the Assembly segments of Govindarajanagar, Vijayanagar, Chikkapet, Basavanagudi, Padmanabhanagar, BTM Layout, Jayanagar and Bommanahalli.

In the last Assembly election, the Congress won in Govindarajanagar, Vijayanagar, BTM Layout Assembly seats. Padmanabhanagar seat is represented by BJP leader R. Ashoka, who is the current leader of opposition. Basavanagudi, Jayanagar and Bommahalli Assembly seats are held by the BJP. The BTM Layout is represented by state Minister for Transport and Muzarai Ramalinga Reddy.

Bengaluru South seat came into existence in 1977. The seat was represented by former Supreme Court judge K.S. Hegde. Later, freedom fighter and popular leader T.R. Shamanna represented the seat in 1980 for the Janata Party. The seat was won by Congress leader and former CM Gundu Rao in 1989 and this was the only time that the Congress managed to win this Parliamentary segment.

Noted economist Venkatagiri Gowda wrestled the seat for the BJP for the first time in 1991. In 1996, former Union Minister late Ananth Kumar represented BJP and registered victories in five consecutive elections.

Following the untimely death of Ananth Kumar, BJP fielded Tejasvi Surya in 2019. He became BJP's youngest member in the Lok Sabha.

While the Congress hopes to make a mark this time , the BJP camp is confident that the Parliamentary seat, which is an urban segment, will again vote for Tejasvi Surya.