If re-elected, Surya vows to complete ‘unfinished business’

Chandra Prabhu | NT

Bengaluru: “We have started a lot of developmental projects in the past five years here. We will look to finish that in my next tenure,” said the incumbent Member of Parliament and BJP candidate for Bangalore South Tejasvi Surya on Thursday.

Bengaluru will go to polls on 26th April. Sowmya Reddy, former MLA of Jayanagar and daughter of Karnataka Minister Ramalinga Reddy is the Congress candidate.

Surya exclusively spoke to News Trail on the sidelines of his campaign in Bommanahalli Assembly constituency. When asked about his chances, Surya responded, "We're going to win, hands down.”

Around eight assembly constituencies form the parliamentary constituency. A BJP stronghold, around five assembly seats are of the BJP, while three belong to the Grand Old Party.

Responding to a question on electoral bonds, Surya said, “The Congress has always opposed progressive reforms like Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and electoral bonds.”

On February 14, The Supreme court deemed the electoral bonds 'unconstitutional,’ and ordered the details of donors be revealed.

According to a report, the BJP was the biggest beneficiary of this scheme, encashing around Rs 6,000 crores. With climate change impacting the weather in Bengaluru, Surya said: "We are taking it very seriously.”

Bengaluru is witnessing unbearable heat waves in what could be the hottest summer.

The city is also reeling under a water crisis. Responding to a question on unemployment, he pointed to the garment factories in the city and said, "Fast paced economic development is the only way to generate employment, which is possible here.''

The last time a Congress Candidate (R Gundu Rao) won here was in 1977, after the constituency was newly created after the Emergency.

Reportedly, Sowmya Reddy is banking on the five guarantees implemented by the Siddaramiah led Congress government in the past five years to further her chances against Surya.

However, Surya hit back at the guarantees and replied, “The only guarantees that have worked are of PM Modi’s,”.

Addressing the garment workers in Bommanahalli constituency, Surya, along with Bommanahalli MLA Satish Reddy, alleged that the Congress give out money in door to door campaigns.

He also stressed on Prime Minister's Modi 'Guarantees'.

"In his tenure as PM, Modi has given 26 week maternity leave to working women along with the improvement in sanitary conditions," he added in his campaign.