Vijayendra meets Sumalatha on the eve of her meeting with supporters

BJP State president meets MP Sumalatha Ambareesh, seeks support for NDA candidate in Mandya amid political discussions.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president B.Y. Vijayendra met Independent Member of Parliament (MP) for Mandya Sumalatha Ambareesh at her J.P. Nagar residence here on Friday evening and appealed for her support to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate H.D. Kumaraswamy in Mandya.

This comes on the eve of the meeting of her supporters convened by Ms. Sumalatha in Mandya on Saturday, to chart her next course of action.

“Ms. Sumalatha Ambareesh has supported the BJP in Parliament. Given that the party’s national leadership has decided to give the Mandya seat to the JD(S) as part of the alliance, it is my duty to meet the incumbent MP and seek her support. I have appealed for her support and assured her that if she supports the NDA candidate now, her future will be bright. We hope there will be a good decision in our favour,” Mr. Vijayendra said after the meeting.

Sources in the party said rehabilitating Ms. Ambareesh either in the Karnataka Legislative Council or in the Rajya Sabha was being discussed, but nothing has been finalised yet.

Ms. Ambareesh reiterated that the BJP should have retained the Mandya seat and said she would never leave Mandya. “I have called a meeting of my supporters in Mandya on Saturday. I will announce my stand after the meeting,” she said.