Days before negotiations between the BJP and the JD(S) are set to begin on seat sharing between the two parties, Mandya’s sitting MP Sumalatha Ambareesh on Thursday said that she is confident that the saffron party will retain the Mandya seat in the coming Lok Sabha elections, despite the alliance with the regional party.
Speaking to presspersons in Mandya, she said her constituency is Mandya and she will not move out of it. Ms. Sumalatha, who won as an Independent with the support of the BJP, is now seeking BJP ticket from Mandya.
“I am confident that the BJP will give me ticket to contest from Mandya. My husband won four times from here and my election is the fifth term for our family from Mandya. The people of Mandya have great expectations from our family and I want to take forward Ambareesh’s legacy. I entered politics for Mandya. If I have to contest from any other constituency, why should I be in politics?” she said.
Pointing out that as the sitting MP, she should be given ticket, she said: “It has been a common practice to field the sitting MP from a particular constituency despite any alliance.”
Dismissing reports that she had approached the Congress, Ms. Sumalatha said: “I have not tried to contact any Congress leaders. But among my followers there are a lot of Congress workers who worked for me during the Assembly elections. Their opinion is that they can continue to stay with me if I join the Congress. In that way, yes, internally I have got an invitation from the Congress. But I am committed to stick on with the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I had given a support letter to the BJP and have worked for them in the Assembly elections and I will remain committed.”
Asserting that her record is “blemishless”, she said her performance as an MP speaks for her. “As there are no indications from any BJP leaders or the party high command that Mandya will be given to the JD(S), I am confident that the BJP will retain the seat. So far, there have been discussions on seat sharing as of now,” she added.
