Tejasvi Surya booked for ’seeking votes in the name of religion’ on polling day

Mangalore Today / HT news

Bengaluru, April 26, 2024: Bengaluru South sitting MP and BJP’s candidate from the same seat Tejasvi Surya was booked by the chief electoral officer, Karnataka for posting a video on X in which he solicited votes on the ground of religion. "Case is booked against Tejasvi Surya MP and Candidate of Bengaluru South PC on 25.04.24 at Jayanagar PS u/s 123(3) for posting a video in ’X’ handle and soliciting votes on the ground of religion," Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka tweeted on Friday amid polling in the crucial seat where Tejasvi’s contest is against Congress’s Sowmya Reddy.

Tejasvi made several appeals to voters to come out and exercise their franchise. At around 2pm, he issued the last video in which he mentioned Ram Mandir apart from border security, Article 370 in his appeal to utilise the last four hours of voting to the fullest.

Earlier, Tejasvi gave an 80%-20% analogy asking BJP voters to come to the polling booths in huge numbers. “We the BJP voters are 80 per cent but only 20 per cent come out and vote. Congress’ voters are 20 per cent but they come out and vote 80 per cent. This is the ground reality at the polling booths in most cases. Every single vote of yours matters. Please come out and vote because if you are not voting, Congress’ 20 per cent is definitely voting,” Tejasvi said.