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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Separate nodal officer in all districts to prevent female foeticides in Karnataka: Minister
Belagavi (PTI): Accepting that the female foeticide has not stopped in the state, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Tuesday said that the government is taking strict measures to prevent it.
The minister said the government is appointing separate nodal officers in all districts and tightening measures to prevent foeticide, which he called a "social evil".
He also assured that the government will consider strengthening legislation to control such activities.
The minister was responding to a question by BJP MLC C T Ravi in the Legislative Council.
"Female foeticides have certainly not stopped. If you look at the sex ratio, there is a lot of difference. I accept that this is happening," Rao said.
"Foeticides are not happening under pressure; voluntarily, it is happening, for not wanting a girl child. These things are happening based on the sex determination of the foetus at some hospitals. Sex determination is illegal, but with the advancement in technology, portable ultrasound machines have been developed, which can be easily carried anywhere, and scans and tests can be done. This needs to be controlled. We will bring it to the notice of the central government," he said.
In some districts and in a few hospitals, a higher number of male child births is happening. It is found with the help of intelligence input, the minister said.
"Information is being gathered on the taluk in which the male-female ratio is worsening, what is happening in which hospital, and appropriate action is being taken to crack down on such a network, after proper evaluation."
Decoy operations have been done at seven places in the last two years, to identify those involved in illegal activities linked to female foeticides, and actions have been taken against officials and hospitals involved, he said, adding that more needs to be done on priority.
Responding to a question by Ravi about whether any stringent legislation is being brought, Rao said, the government will consider strengthening the legislation and making it stricter to control this.
"Some amendments have been made to the existing laws in the last two years....advanced technology and the internet is being used to carry out such things, also oral medicines for abortions are available over the counter.
We need to look into bringing legislation to control them. The Food and Drug Administration has issued instructions to pharmacists that the sale of such drugs should be documented."
The minister also said that measures are also being taken for the effective implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC & PNDT) Act, and awareness is being created against the identification of female foetuses and female foeticide.
