Didn’t ask people to use, says Tejaswini Ananth Kumar

Bengaluru: State BJP vice president, Mrs Tejaswini Ananth Kumar, who was denied an opportunity by her party to contest from Bangalore South, on Monday rubbished reports that she was asking voters to use NOTA option in Lok Sabha polls.

During her interaction with the media, she said her call to people was always "vote for BJP to make Narendra Modi Prime Minister once again" . She said she would file a police complaint as it is was an attempt to level a "false allegation" against her. "There are pamphlets being shared on the social media, including Whats App groups that I have been asking people to vote for NOTA. This is far from the truth...my name is being misused and this is an attempt to level false allegations against me," Mrs Tejaswini said during the first interaction with the media after taking over as state vice president.

Stating that she has come from and belongs to  "BJP parivar" and pointing to her late husband Ananth Kumar's association with BJP, including his stint a six time MP from Bangalore South and as Union Minister, she said "now I have also been made party Vice President... I have never said it, some are doing it to confuse voters." "I have always said, vote for BJP to make Narendra Modi Prime Minister once again and have been campaigning in the same way. There is no need to vote for NOTA," she said, adding she has filed a police complaint on the matter and the cyber crime division had also been requested to take strict action.

Posters asking people to vote NOTA in Bengaluru South to support Tejaswini Ananth Kumar are being shared widely on the social media.

She declined to comment to a question on the reported statement of B L Santosh, BJP National Joint General Secretary (Org), on the party denying a ticket to her, saying she had not heard him directly stating it and only seen media reports. "It will not be fair for me to comment. He is a senior leader and holds a high office in the party... will discuss with him," she added. Santosh had reportedly said that the BJP cannot give a ticket on the basis of one's genes, in reference to Tejaswini being denied the ticket. Many within BJP feel Santosh was instrumental in getting the party ticket to Tejaswi Surya from Bangalore South. Tejaswini said though she has seen party activities from up close, she has a lot to learn now that she was directly involved in the party affairs. "The priority is now to win more seats for BJP. Last time we had sent three MPs from Bangalore region. This time we will have to send all the four (indicating Bangalore rural, where Congress has a sitting MP)." Asked whether she has got a satisf
actory explanation on why she was denied a ticket,Tejaswini said,”... this is a time of war, at such time you cannot get answers to all questions. Party leaders may have had their own reasons for giving someone a ticket. They may talk about it later." She said she was always with the party and its leadership.

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