Former Jayanagar MLA Sowmya Reddy on Wednesday agreed to become the Congress’ candidate in the Bangalore South Lok Sabha constituency against BJP’s Tejasvi Surya.
Sowmya consented after Congress leaders from six out of eight Assembly segments that come under the Bangalore South Lok Sabha seat favoured her candidature.
Addressing the meeting, Sowmya’s father and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy expressed confidence that the party will get more votes in Bangalore South this time. “By ridiculing the government’s five guarantees, the BJP is insulting six crore people of the state. With these schemes, things will change for us (Congress). Women, especially, will vote more for us,” Reddy said.
Reddy also pointed out that several BJP leaders from Padmanabhanagar had joined the Congress. “Even in Bommanahalli, we have managed to close the gap,” he said.
Speaking to reporters later, Reddy said he, too, has given his consent for Sowmya to contest the Lok Sabha election. “All our leaders unanimously said she should contest. I have conveyed this opinion to AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar,” he said.
Reddy also said that Sowmya’s petition challenging the Jayanagar Assembly constituency election result is pending in court. She lost the election by 16 votes. “The Supreme Court has said the matter must be settled in six months. I’m confident that she’ll get justice when votes are re-counted,” he said.
The senior Congress leader revealed that he was asked to contest from Bangalore South. “I said I can’t. I don’t know Hindi.”
(Published 13 March 2024, 23:46 IST)
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