MANDYA: Veteran actress-turned-politician Sumalatha Ambareesh, who had kept cards close to her chest and made both Congress and JDS indulge in guessing games, finally ended the suspense on Wednesday, announcing her support to BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership in the interest of the development of the state,
During an hour-long address to her supporters in Mandya, Sumalatha announced that she will join BJP soon. She lauded Modi for releasing Rs 4,000 crore grants. “The Prime Minister told me that they need people like me in these parts. This is the way to groom leadership,” she said.
Clarifying that she will not join Congress with which her husband Ambreesh was associated for more than two decades, she also ruled out entering the fray again as an independent candidate as the Mandya constituency has been given to BJP ally JDS.
This announcement brought relief to former chief minister and JDS candidate HD Kumaraswamy, who called on her a few days ago, seeking her support and cooperation.
State BJP president BY Vijayendra too had met Sumalatha and held closed-door talks. It is said that she was offered Mysuru, Bengaluru North or Chikkaballapur seats to contest from.
The veteran actress turned emotional when her supporters demanded that she contest as an independent from the Mandya Lok Sabha constituency.
Recalling that her entry into electoral politics was accidental following the untimely demise of her husband and MP Ambreesh, Sumalatha said she had to bow to the love and affection of the people and fans by throwing herself into the electoral fray as an independent in 2019.
She lauded Modi for extending his support and taking her into confidence in taking policy decisions related to the development of Mandya district.
She said she distributed the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Fund fund evenly across the constituency and chaired the highest number of DISHA meetings.
She said the Jal Jeevan mission, upgradation of rural roads and other central government programmes have been taken to the doorsteps of the people. “I tried my best to see that BJP retains Mandya, but the seat has been given to the ally JDS. We should work to win and strengthen the hands of the Prime Minister,” she added.
Thanking the people, particularly women, youth and also leading film stars Darshan and Yash, for standing beside her in difficult times, campaigning hard in the previous election, Sumalatha said she turned down the offer made by BJP to contest or relocate to other constituencies. “Though there are politicians hoping to get tickets from anywhere, I will do politics only on Mandya soil and not anywhere else. Whether I am in power or not, I will always be the daughter-in-law of Mandya and continue to cherish the love people have showered on me,” she said.
