Sumalatha declares support for BJP, says development possible only under Modi

MANDYA: Independent Lok Sabha member from Mandya, Sumalatha Ambarish, on Friday declared her support for the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while stating development is possible only under the BJP.

“The BJP had supported me when I contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election. I had invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Mandya when he visited Mysuru and he had promised pay a to visit. The 10-lane expressway will be ianugurated in Mandya by PM Narendra Modi on March 12”, she said.

Prior to the presser, Sumalatha Ambarish offered prayers at the Kalamma temple in Mandya.

Addressing a press conference to clear the air about her joining the BJP, Sumalatha said there are legal impediments to joining the party. “An Independent candidate can join any party within six months of the election, but now it’s not possible for me to join the party”, she said.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it possible for Indians to hold their head high abroad. For this reason, I am supporting him. The politics in Mandya district had been muddied and needs to be cleaned up and that is why I am supporting the BJP”, she said.

“When B S Yediyurappa was Chief Minster, I had met him when he came to officer bagina to Cauvery river at the KRS dam. I had met him earlier in Delhi too. When he asked me what I wanted for Mandya, I requested that the Mysore Sugars Ltd (MySugar) factory be reopened. There were a lot of argument for and against reopening of the factory, but Yediyurappa said that since I had requested, it should be done. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai too granted Rs 50 crore. This was possible because of the BJP and the party is supporting me”, she said.

Sumalatha also declared that her son Abhishek Ambarish will not enter politics as long as she is active. “Two parties had invited him to contest from Mandya and Maddur, but he rejected it as I am in politics right now. He has said that if he enters politics, he will join a party, work at the grassroots level and then contest the elections”, she said. Abhishek will get married this year and will continue in films, she added, while noting that she is not for dynastic politics.

Stressing that Mandya district needs to witness more development, she said she has worked hard for four years and needs more strength to carry on the work. “Hence, I took the decision to support the BJP. If I had to compromise, I could have become an MLA or an MLC, but development is more important for me”, she noted.

“The leadership of development is Modi and development is possible under his leadership. Over the last four years, I have seen the working of the Modi government. I have discussed the problems of jaggery-making houses with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and she has promised to visit Mandya. I have raised the issues of farmers, women, atrocities on children, safety of KRS dam and other basic facilities”, she noted.

During the elaborate press conference, Sumalatha also spoke about credit wars for various works including the 10-lane expressway, illegal mining, safety of KRS dam, slum redevelopment at Halahalli, Covid relief works and also lashed out at her political opponents.