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Lok Sabha election results 2019: Prakash Raj leaves counting centre after realising he’s losing from Bengaluru Central
Lok Sabha election results 2019: Bengaluru Central independent candicate Prakash Raj left a counting centre midway after learning that he was trailing at number three behind the BJP and the Congress.
Actor Prakash Raj, who is contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate from Bengaluru Central, on Thursday left a counting centre midway after learning that he was trailing at number three behind the BJP and the Congress. The National Award winning actor is pitted against Rizwan Arshad of the Congress and sitting BJP MP PC Mohan.
A video posted by a prominent Karnataka daily on Twitter showed Raj, sporting a slight smile, leaving the counting centre with his supporters in tow.
Also read: Lok Sabha Election Results Live Updates
Mohan was leading from the seat with over 4.9 lakh votes as against Arshad’s tally of 4.7 lakh votes. Raj was way behind at 23,980 votes, according to the Election Commission.
Bengaluru Central is traditionally a BJP bastion, with Mohan winning the seat in both the 2009 and 2014 elections. On May 19, the actor trashed the exit polls which showed a clean sweep for the ruling party in the polls. On Thursday, he tweeted, “a SOLID SLAP on my face ..as More ABUSE..TROLL..and HUMILIATION come my way..I WILL STAND MY GROUND ..My RESOLVE to FIGHT for SECULAR INDIA will continue..A TOUGH JOURNEY AHEAD HAS JUST BEGUN ..THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO WERE WITH ME IN THIS JOURNEY. .... JAI HIND.”
Raj has been vocal about his views on the current BJP-led government at the Centre. He has also been one of those seeking justice for his friend and journalist Gauri Lankesh, who was shot outside her residence in September 2017.
The actor earlier claimed that Bollywood filmmakers stopped offering him roles as he has been critical of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government. Raj is the latest celebrity to join politics from south after veterans Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan.
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