Amid Karnataka's Mandya seat suspense, MP Sumalatha meets PM Modi, says 'will work together'

Sumalatha Ambareesh with PM Modi

Sumalatha Ambareesh, an MP from Karnataka’s Mandya, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday in New Delhi amid reports over allotting the seat to the Janata Dal (Secular), which formed an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party. Sumalatha Ambareesh said they will continue to work together, indicating that she would not step back from contesting from Mandya.

“As the last sessions of the 17th Lok Sabha are coming to an end, I look back in pride at my journey, and It was indeed a privilege to have served as a Member of Parliament during PM ‘Modi’s tenure. And I will take his parting words, We will continue to work together’ as a symbol of continued faith in my service of the great people of Mandya, Karnataka and our great nation,” Sumalatha Ambareesh said.

The statement comes after a few reports claimed that former Karnataka CM and senior JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy has plans to contest from the Mandya Lok Sabha seat as the JDS believes that the old Mysuru region is its bastion.

HD Kumaraswamy also met senior BJP leaders in New Delhi last month as he was reportedly keen on contesting from Mandya. Former prime minister and JDS patron HD Devegowda also said HD Kumaraswamy will contest from Mandya if Modi asks him to proceed.

However, there is no official word from the BJP’s high command, and they are yet to announce the candidates list for 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka.

HD Kumaraswamy’s son, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, contested Mandya’s 2019 Lok Sabha election and lost to Sumalatha Ambareesh, who contested as an Independent candidate. In the 2023 Karnataka assembly election, Nikhil Kumaraswamy contested from the Ramanagara constituency – the seat his mother Anitha Kumaraswamy won in 2018. He lost that seat too – to the Congress’ HA Iqbal Hussain by nearly 8,000 votes.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the JD(S) contested on seven seats in an alliance with the Indian National Congress and managed to secure just one seat. The BJP won 25 out of 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka.

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