BJP president Amit Shah held a massive roadshow here Tuesday night campaigning for the party candidate Tejasvi Surya in Bangalore South, signifying the importance attached to retaining its traditional stronghold for decades.
Shah flew in here from Tamil Nadu only for the roadshow, which was a show of unity by the city unit as there were rumblings of protest to the candidature of political greenhorn Surya, who was preferred over former union minister Ananth Kumar's widow Tejaswini.
Hundreds of enthusiastic BJP workers cheered Shah chanting "Modi, Modi" as the "Rath", a modified vehicle, covered a litte more than a kilometre distance with state unit party chief B S Yeddyurappa, Surya, legislators from Bangalore South constituency and Tejaswini accompanying him.
Hours before the roadshow, Tejaswini was appointed as the BJP state unit vice-president in an apparent placatory move after denying her the ticket to contest from Bangalore South Lok Sabha constituency, which Ananth Kumar had represented for six terms.
The show began from Banashankari temple and concluded near a convention hall at J P Nagar, with thousands of people gathered all along the route.
Soon after the roadshow, Shah left for New Delhi.
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Tejaswini's attendance gave a boost to the roadshow, as she was sulking after being denied the ticket, leaving her supporters angry and agitated.
She has been active in public life through not-for-profit organisation Adamya Chetana.
In a surprise move, BJP had announced the ticket to 28-year-old Surya, with just hours left for the deadline for filing of nominations for the first phase of polls in Karnataka.