Days after announcing his formal entry into politics, actor-turned-politician Prakash Raj on Saturday said that he will be contesting upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Bengaluru Central constituency. "#2019 PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS. Thank you for the warm n encouraging response to my new journey.. I will be contesting from BENGALURU CENTRAL constituency #KARNATAKA as an INDEPENDENT..will share the Details with the media in few days..#citizensvoice #justasking in parliament too... (sic)," the actor tweeted.
#2019 PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS.Thank you for the warm n encouraging response to my new journey.. I will be contesting from BENGALURU CENTRAL constituency #KARNATAKA as an INDEPENDENT..will share the Details with the media in few days..#citizensvoice #justasking in parliament too... pic.twitter.com/wJN4WaHlZP
— Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) January 5, 2019
Raj would be fighting against BJP's PC Mohan, who defeated the Congress candidate with over 40,000 votes in 2014. The BJP leader has held Bangaluru central's seat ever since it was carved out from Bengaluru north and south after the delimitation process in 2019.
Earlier, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said that it has offered open support to Raj who would be contesting the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha Elections as an independent candidate.
READ MORE: AAP offers open support to actor Prakash Raj who plans to contest 2019 Lok Sabha elections
The announcement was made during a Aam Aadmi Party meeting in Bangalore which was attended by Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and other party leaders. The actor, who was present at the meeting, took to Twitter to thank the deputy chief minister and party cadres for extending support to his political journey.
Raj is considered to have an anti-BJP stance and has criticised PM Narendra Modi government on many occasions. He became vocal after his friend and senior journalist Gauri Lankesh was murdered.