Sumalatha thanks BJP leaders, will decide on joining

BENGALURU: To thank the BJP for their support during the Lok Sabha elections, Mandya MP-elect Sumalatha Ambareesh met BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa and veteran leader S M Krishna on Sunday. Three days after she created a record by becoming the first woman independent MP ever elected in Karnataka, Sumalatha thanked leaders of the BJP for extending support to her during the election campaign. The BJP had officially backed her in the polls to take on Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Kumar and had chosen not to field a candidate in the JDS stronghold. 

“I want to first thank the BJP for its support and then congratulate BJP leaders for the massive victory they achieved in Karnataka and across the country. I am individually meeting everybody who extended their support to me,” Sumalatha said after meeting the state BJP chief at his residence. After meeting Yeddyurappa, Sumalatha proceeded to meet S M Krishna accompanied by Yeddyurappa and R Ashoka of the BJP. “An independent MP cannot officially join any party, but since the BJP backed me officially, I can extend issue-based support. However, I will take the opinion of the people of Mandya who have elected me and then take a decision,” Sumalatha said, when asked if she would join the BJP. 

“Despite money and muscle power of the chief minister (HD Kumaraswamy), Sumalatha has clenched a record victory. My congratulations to her. She can take a decision over extending support to BJP based on her discussions with her constituents,” Yeddyurappa said.