Prakash Raj to contest 2019 elections from Bengaluru Central

Bengaluru, Jan 5: Actor Prakash Raj, who has decided to take a plunge into politics, will contest Lok Sabha Elections 2019 from Bengaluru Central as an independent candidate.

Raj had on January 1 said that he will be contesting in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls as an independent candidate, but he had not revealed the seat from which he would contest.

Today, the actor took to Twitter to reveal the seat from where he will contest the 2019 general elections.

In Bengaluru Central, Raj could be up against BJP's PC Mohan, who had defeated the Congress candidate with over 40,000 votes in 2014. Mohan has held this seat since 2009 when Bangaluru central was carved out from Bengaluru north and south after the delimitation process.

"#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...," Raj tweeted today.

Soon after Raj announced his entry to politics, several netizens replied positively congratulating the actor and wishing him luck in the new phase. Raj has been a vocal critic of divisive politics and Modi government. In fact, the gruesome murder of his friend Gauri Lankesh made him a more outspoken critic against the current ruling dispensation.

The actor has also extended his support to several politicians including Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his plans for a 'Federal Front', which would include a consortium of regional parties. In April this year, Prakash Raj was part of a meeting that included KCR and former PM Deve Gowda at the latter's home.

Prakash Raj had also actively campaigned during the Karnataka elections of 2018 and started trending questions under the hashtag 'just asking' (#justasking). Raj's foray into politics comes close on heels to that of other prominent south Indian actors such as Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan.