Ananth Kumar’s wife Tejaswini likely to be BJP candidate for Bangalore South

Tejaswini Ananth Kumar is likely to be the BJP candidate from Bangalore South, the Lok Sabha constituency that her late husband and former Union minister Ananth Kumar had represented six times, the saffron party's Karnataka leaders said Monday. BJP legislators, corporators and workers have unitedly endorsed her name as candidate from Bangalore South, which will be recommended to the high command for final decision, senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister R Ashoka said.

"I have spoken to all MLAs. All our BJP workers have requested Tejaswini madam should be our candidate... It is the opinion of everyone that she should our candidate," he said.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with party MLAs and local leaders here, Ashoka said the endorsement would be forwarded to the party leadership as a decision can be taken at the level of national president Amit Shah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party's state chief B S Yeddyurappa.

"Yeddyurappa has called me for a meeting later, I will inform him about the opinion of all our party MLAs and workers," he said, pointing out that Ananth Kumar had got elected from Bangalore South six times.

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The decision by the party leaders to recommend Tejaswinis name to the BJP leadership as candidate for Bangalore South came on her birthday. Tejaswini’s husband Ananth Kumar was party's top leader from Karnataka and was serving as Union parliamentary affairs minister when he died at the age of 59 in November last.

Kumar first got elected to the Lok Sabha in 1996 from Bangalore South, the constituency, which remained his bastion till his death

Active in public life through not-for-profit organization Adamya Chetana, Tejaswini had worked as a scientist at the Aeronautical Development Agency between 1993-1997 and also on the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA-Tejas) project.

During her student days, she was very active in Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and has also served as its State Joint Secretary and National executive member. Tejaswini, recalling her late husband's contribution to the party, told reporters that she became a member of 'BJP Parivar' 30 years ago, when she got married, and all party leaders were like her “elder brothers.”

“They have decided to send my name to the centre as a candidate for Bangalore South. Whatever central leadership decides, I will abide by it. I will keep the trust shown on me by the party leaders,” she said, as she promised to work for the party and the constituency.