Bengaluru: For the Bengaluru South constituency, the BJP is fielding a young Tejasvi Surya, while the Congress is fielding a veteran of 40 years, BK Hariprasad.

Sources close to Tejaswini Ananth Kumar say that the BJP has complicated a seat that is considered its bastion.  

On the other hand, the Congress has fielded its best bet. Political pundits say BK Hariprasad is a canny and cagey operator who has friends across the political spectrum and is a trusted trouble-shooter for the party. Presently, he is a Rajya Sabha member. Therefore, in the event of his defeat, he has nothing to lose. This is the strategy the Congress has employed.    

On the other end of the continuum, there are others who feel that BK Hariprasad has been scapegoated, knowing fully well that the constituency in question is a BJP stronghold.

Hemanth Kumar, a political analyst says, “People are of the view that BK Hariprasad has been scapegoated. The Congress has sacrificed a senior Congressman in a dead rubber.”

But BK Hariprasad begs to differ:

“I can’t question the wisdom of the BJP to field Tejasvi Surya. It is their decision. But I am confident of winning the election.”

However, a walk back in the annals of history shows that BK Hariprasad lost the MP elections in the same constituency to Ananth Kumar in the late 80s.

Sources say that the RSS too is not happy with the recommendations made by the BJP top brass. But ultimately, it is the question of Modi coming back to power and the local issues are to be compromised with.

And with the renewed hope and vigour with which BJP cadres are working, they may well help Tejasvi script a new chapter.

All of us will have wait till the May 23 to know what actually transpires.