Will decide on supporting BJP after consulting supporters,voters: Sumalatha Ambareesh
Bengaluru, May 26: Multilingual actress and independent candidate from Mandya Lok Sabha seat,Sumalatha Ambareesh, who defeated Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil, Sunday thanked BJP for it's support and said she would decide on supporting the party after consulting supporters and voters.
Sumalatha met state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa and another senior party leader and former Chief Minister S M Krishna and thanked them for their support for her victory in Mandya.
BJP had supported Sumalatha by not fielding any candidate against her.
"I want to clarify one thing that if an independent candidate wins, there is no provision in our constitution for him or her to join a party, but can support...there is a provision to give issue based support, this is what I have got to know," she told reporters in response to a question about her joining BJP.
She said, "I have been saying that the opinion of people is important to me.
I have plans to go to every taluk in Mandya to thank voters during which I will consult my supporters and followers on what steps I have to take in the interest of Mandya. After taking their opinion I will come to a decision on this."
Thanking BJP for its support to her victory, Sumalatha congratulated the saffron party for its win both nationally and in Karnataka, by terming the landslide win as "tsunami".
Pointing out that her win was "historic",she credited the people of Mandya and supporters from across the party for it.
In a huge embarrassment to Kumaraswamy, his son Nikhil was defeated by Sumalatha by 1,25,876 votes in Mandya in a bitterly contested campaign.
Sumalatha (55) is the widow of popular actor-turned politician, the late M H Ambareesh.
She had initially sought a ticket from Congress,the party from which her husband had represented Mandya in the past, but it was denied citing coalition compulsions as it had to cede the constituency to JD(S),as per the seat sharing arrangement.
Several Congress leaders and workers were miffed over their party's decision to cede the seat to JD(S) and did not campaign for Nikhil, upset over certain comments by Kumaraswamy allegedly against them.
Many of them had extended support to Sumalatha and had campaigned for her openly with the Congress flag, despite the party warning against it.
Congratulating Sumalatha for her victory in Mandya, Yeddyurappa said she would take a decision on her association with BJP after consulting her supporters and voters.
"After knowing the opinion of voters of her constituency, she will let us know about her stand," he said in response to a question about inviting Sumalatha to BJP or her willingness to join the party.
BJP, which has very less presence in Mandya, decided to support Sumalatha as it saw the party's prospects increasing its base there with her win.
Despite losing the LoK Sabha by-polls in November 2018, the saffron party had made significant inroads by securing 2,44,404 votes, its best performance there.
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Udhayanidhi accuses BJP of not releasing funds for TN
Gobichettipalayam (PTI): Tamil Nadu deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Saturday charged the BJP government at the Centre with not releasing funds to the state and accused it of "snatching" TN's rights.
Addressing a poll rally at Gobichettipalayam in the western Erode district, the DMK youth wing chief claimed the Centre has not released funds to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore for education.
"They (union government) have snatched all our rights," he charged.
With regard to the Centre's proposal for delimitation, he said chief minister M K Stalin was the first person in the country to raise the voice against the union government's move. He claimed that it was a "huge victory" for the INDIA alliance, as the bill was defeated for lack of majority after the opposition voted against it in the Lok Sabha.
Listing out various welfare measures implemented by the DMK government, he said the existing "Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai" (monthly financial assistance for women) will be doubled to Rs 2,000 if DMK was voted to power again.
The deputy chief minister charged that the BJP and AIADMK have tried to stall it by moving the court. "At present more than 1.3 crore women have benefited from the scheme", he said.
"Similarly, the breakfast scheme for the government school students will be extended till Class VIII", he said adding "more than 35 lakh college students across the state will be getting free laptops once the DMK government is formed".
Udhayanidhi also pointed out at the "Illatharasi" poll promise, providing Rs 8,000 worth of coupons to non-income tax paying women where they could buy or replace any household appliances of their choice.
Elections to 234 Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu will be held on April 23 and the results declared on May 4 following counting of polled votes.
