Mandya MP Sumalatha confident of getting BJP ticket in LS election
Mandya, Feb 26: Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambareesh on Monday said she was confident of getting a BJP ticket to contest the Lok Sabha election from here even as there are strong indications that the party's alliance partner JD(S) is firm on fielding its candidate in the segment.
Sumalatha contested the 2019 general elections as an independent and she was backed by the BJP. She had defeated former Prime Minister and JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda’s grandson and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Kumaraswamy.
She said her confidence stems from the fact that the party demonstrated that it gave preference to women by passing the women’s reservation bill.
There is no doubt about getting a BJP ticket and my fight is to see that the BJP retains the Mandya seat. I am quite confident that I will get a BJP ticket from Mandya,” she told reporters here.
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Sumalatha's comments assume significance as there are some reports that the BJP may leave the Mandya seat to its alliance partner JD(S).
Sumalatha said, “You see, they (BJP) had supported me in the previous election. I too supported them (BJP) whenever they raised issues in the Parliament and brought important bills. Also I extended them my support from outside in the 2023 assembly elections.”
When reminded of BJP’s alliance with the JD(S) this time, she said, “Are they my enemy if they (BJP) become friendly with the JD(S)? It’s not like that. I am also part of the BJP-led NDA just as JD(S) is, since I too supported them(BJP)."
The JD(S), which joined the BJP led NDA in September last year to fight the Lok Sabha election together, is also keen on the Mandya seat, which has been its stronghold, party sources said.
On Sunday, JD(S) second-in-command Kumaraswamy had a meeting with the party leaders regarding Lok Sabha election in Mandya.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, he said “We had a long discussion on Mandya. They all expressed their thoughts on winning this seat. We have taken note of their thoughts.”
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Delhi records high of 32.7 deg C; AQI remains 'moderate'
New Delhi (PTI): The maximum temperature in Delhi settled at 32.7 degrees Celsius on Sunday, 1.3 notches below the seasonal average, according to the India Meteorological Department.
The minimum temperature was recorded at 20.1 degrees Celsius on Sunday, 1.3 notches below the average for the season, while the relative humidity stood at 46 per cent at 5.30 pm, the IMD said.
The weather department has forecast a partly cloudy sky for Monday with the maximum and minimum temperatures expected to hover around 34 and 19 degrees Celsius, respectively.
The air quality remained 'moderate' at 4 pm, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 134, a slight drop from Saturday’s 137, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed.
According to the CPCB, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.
