As JDS, BJP inch closer to seat deal, Sumalatha firm on Mandya
BENGALURU: With former chief minister and JDS state president HD Kumaraswamy likely to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah to seal the seat-sharing deal for the Lok Sabha polls, Mandya Independent MP Sumalatha Ambareesh held a quick meeting of her sympathisers here on Thursday, declaring that she will never let go of Mandya.
She expressed confidence that the BJP will retain the seat and field her as the candidate. If not, she indicated that she may continue to contest as an Independent or even consider Congress’ offer, as she admitted that she did receive an invitation from the Grand Old Party.
“Politics was not inevitable for me, but I have to continue the legacy of my husband, Ambareesh, who won four elections with a tremendous margin. I too won by a good margin with the affection of the people of Mandya. It is meaningless if I switch to some other constituency. The sitting MP should be considered for the ticket and it is a norm in any political party, and I am confident that the BJP will retain the seat,” she said.
BJP district president Indresh and former minister Dr Narayana Gowda, among others, took part in the meeting. Speaking to reporters, Gowda clarified that the JDS should spare the Mandya seat to the BJP, as the party has been growing here by improving its vote share in the Assembly polls, as it has reached 1.85 lakh in the Lok Sabha constituency.
“Madam (Sumalatha) has made up her mind to contest from Mandya and her victory is 1,000 per cent certain, owing to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government’s achievements in development and also the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya,” he remarked.
In 2019, Sumalatha contested as an Independent and defeated Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil, the then Congress-JDS alliance candidate, as the BJP had not fielded any candidate against her. Some Congress leaders and workers, especially the fans of her late husband, had also backed her.
Ahead of the latest Assembly polls, she had joined the BJP and extended her support to the party’s candidates in a few Assembly constituencies in Mandya. Now, the JDS is planning to get three seats as part of its alliance with the BJP, as an internal survey report indicated a win for its candidates, and it is particular about getting Mandya, apart from the Hassan seat, in the Vokkaliga bastion of Old Mysuru. According to sources, Kumaraswamy also wants to be the JDS-BJP alliance candidate.