Tejaswini Ananth Kumar rejects 'rumours' of her asking people to vote for NOTA
Bengaluru, Apr 15: Karnataka BJP Vice President Tejaswini Ananth Kumar, who was denied a ticket by the party from Bangalore South, Monday rejected "rumours" she was asking people to vote for NOTA and said her name was being "misused".
She said her call to people has always been "vote for BJP to make Narendra Modi Prime Minister once again" and added that she has filed a police complaint as it is was an attempt to level a "false allegation" against her.
"There are pamphlets being shared on social media, including Whats App groups that I have been asking people to vote for NOTA.
This is far from the truth...my name is being misused and this is an attempt to level false allegations against me," Tejaswini said in her first interaction with the media after taking over as BJP state president.
Stating that she has come from and belongs to the "BJP parivar" and pointing to her late husband Ananth Kumar's association with BJP, including his stint a six time MP from Bangalore South and as Union Minister, she said", now I have also been made party Vice President...
I have never said it, some are doing it to confuse voters."
"I have always said, vote for BJP to make Narendra Modi Prime Minister once again and have been campaigning in the same way.
There is no need to vote for NOTA," she said, adding she has filed a police complaint on the matter and the cyber crime division had also been requested to take strict action.
Posters asking people to vote NOTA in Bengaluru South to support Tejaswini Ananth Kumar are being shared widely on the social media.
She declined to comment to a question on the reported statement of B L Santosh, BJP National Joint General Secretary (Org), on the party denying a ticket to her, saying she had not heard him directly stating it and only seen media reports.
"It will not be fair for me to comment. He is a senior leader and holds a high office in the party... will discuss with him," she added.
Santosh had reportedly said that the BJP cannot give a ticket on the basis of one's genes, in reference to Tejaswini being denied the ticket.
Many within the BJP feel Santosh was instrumental in getting the party ticket to Tejaswi Surya from Bangalore South.
Tejaswini said though she has seen party activities from up close, she has a lot to learn now that she was directly involved in the party affairs.
"The priority is now to win more seats for BJP. Last time we had sent three MPs from Bangalore region. This time we will have to send all the four (indicating Bangalore rural, where Congress has a sitting MP)."
Asked whether she has got a satisfactory explanation on why she was denied a ticket,Tejaswini said,"... this is a time of war, at such a time you cannot get answers to all questions.
Party leaders may have had their own reasons for giving someone a ticket. They may talk about it later."
She said she was always with the party and its leadership.
In a surprise move, BJP on March 26 had announced the ticket to 28-year-old Tejaswi Surya, just hours before the deadline for filing of nominations for the first phase of polls in Karnataka, denying ticket to Tejaswini, who was earlier tipped as the party candidate.
The decision to deny her the ticket had created resentment within the BJP, as it was the state leadership which had recommended her name to the central leadership.
Tejaswini too had initially stayed away from campaigning, but subsequently she was appointed as state BJP vice President.
Congress' B K Hariprasad is in the fray from Bangalore South.
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India-Oman free trade pact to give new energy to bilateral relations: PM Modi
Muscat (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and Oman will give new confidence and energy to the bilateral relations.
Speaking at the India-Oman Business Summit here, the visiting Prime Minister said the summit will give a new direction to the India-Oman partnership.
"Today, we are taking such a historic decision, the echo of which will be heard for many decades to come. Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement that is, CEPA, will give our partnership new confidence and new energy in the 21st century," the prime minister said.
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He said India’s nature has always been progressive and self-driven.
Whenever India grows, it helps its friends grow as well, Modi said and added India is progressing towards becoming the world’s third-largest economy.
"This is beneficial for the entire world. However, it is even more beneficial for Oman because, in addition to being close friends, we are also maritime neighbours. Our people know each other well. We have generations of trust in our business relations, and we understand each other’s markets very well," he said.
Modi invited companies from Oman to become partner in the growth story. He said India's economy is growing at a high rate because over the past 11 years, India has not just changed policies, but has also changed its economic DNA.
He informed the gathering about the reforms, including GST and IBC, India has implemented in the recent years.
Modi arrived here on Wednesday on a two-day visit.
India-Oman bilateral trade was about USD 10.5 billion (exports USD 4 billion and imports USD 6.54 billion) in 2024-25.
#WATCH | Muscat, Oman: At the India-Oman Business Summit, PM Narendra Modi says, "Today, we are making a historic decision whose echo will be heard for decades to come. The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) will fill us with new trust and new energy in the 21st… pic.twitter.com/NkJNADb8Rn
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2025
