Shah to launch BJP's campaign in Karnataka on Tuesday

Bengaluru: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah will flag off the party's campaign for the 2019 general elections in Karnataka's 28 Lok Sabha constituencies on Tuesday in this tech hub, a party official said on Monday.

"Shah will launch the party's poll campaign with road shows and a public meeting on Tuesday evening in the high-profile Bangalore South constituency in the presence of our state leaders and hundreds of cadres," BJP spokesman G. Madhusudhan told IANS.

The BJP has fielded 28-year-old lawyer Tejasvi Surya as its candidate from the prestigious seat, which was held by late Union Minister H.N. Ananth Kumar since 1996.

"Shah will also address our leaders and cadres and finalise the tour programmes of the party's national leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Seetharaman and Piyush Goyal for electioneering across the state," Madhusudhan said.

Polling will be held in the state in two phases for 14 parliamentary seats each on April 18 and April 23. The votes will be counted on May 23.

"Modi will address two rallies in the state at Davangere and Mysore on April 8. We look forward to his visit to Bengaluru before the polling date as he did in April 2014," said Madhusudhan.

Modi already addressed party rallies at Hubballi on February 10 and Kalaburagi on March 6 ahead of the election schedule announcement on March 10.

The BJP won 17 of the 28 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, including all the three seats in Bangalore South, Bangalore North and Bangalore Central. The Congress won 9 seats and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) the remaining 2.

Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers D.V. Sadananada won from Bangalore North while P.C. Mohan won from Bangalore Central.