Tejasvi Surya, the BJP candidate from Bangalore South, is seeking a vote for continuity, with development programmes undertaken over the past five years and Prime Minister Modi at the centre of his campaign. He spoke with DH on how the combination could help him retain the constituency. Excerpts:
How do you pitch your 2019-2024 progress report to the voter?
Transformative projects were undertaken over the last five years – approval and expansion of Metro phases 2A and 2B, completion of the Yellow Line, approval for the long-awaited Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project, and construction of the Satellite Town Ring Road are among them. I’ve also followed through on a long-standing promise to secure a US Consulate for Bengaluru, pending since the Chief Ministership of SM Krishna. During the pandemic, I exposed irregularities in the bed booking system and our office set up the country's largest oxygen concentrator bank. The number of Jan Aushadhi Kendras in the constituency has increased from 14 in 2019 to 120 in 2024.
What does the Bangalore South voter want for the constituency and the country?
India has transformed dramatically under Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji and is now the fifth-largest economy. The voters are looking for leadership that promises a prosperous future for all. The transformative projects in the constituency resonate well with them and promise that future for all under continued leadership.
The constituency has been with the BJP since 1991. Are there concerns over anti-incumbency?
There is no anti-incumbency – Modi ji's popularity is rising and we’ve worked for the people’s welfare over the last 5 years. The people have accepted me as their own and I am confident that they will extend their support for me to continue.
Your campaign highlights the achievements in the constituency and has the PM as its face.
The Prime Minister is guiding the country towards a Viksit Bharat and he resonates with people across segments. As we focus on a national election, it’s crucial that the overarching vision of a Viksit Bharat, championed by Modi ji, remains a central theme of our campaign.
How significant are the state government’s guarantee schemes in the context of a general election?
The people of the country believe only in the Modi guarantee. They realise that the objective of this election is to elect the country's Prime Minister for the next five years. Therefore, the guarantees that are state-specific will not have any bearing on this election.
You were also in Tamil Nadu as a campaigner for the party.
K Annamalai, the party president in TN and the candidate from Coimbatore, is a dear friend. Vinoj Selvam, another young leader, is contesting against Dayanidhi Maran in Chennai Central. The youth are fed up with the Dravidian parties. Annamalai represents the change TN was yearning for. Under his leadership, the BJP is a re-energised, battle-ready unit; this is the alternative the people have been waiting for. Annamalai’s victory will pave the way for a much larger political change in the state.