Sumalatha Ambareesh, Mandya MP, on Monday expressed confidence of getting the BJP ticket from Mandya in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.
In the last election, she contested as an Independent candidate, backed by the BJP, and won. Ms. Sumalatha defeated Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, of the Janata Dal (S) in a high-voltage contest. The Janata Dal (S) is now aligned with the BJP.
Speaking to reporters in Mandya, the MP said she too was part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) like the Janata Dal (S).
When reporters sought her reaction to Mr. Kumaraswamy’s statement that his party was part of the NDA and expressed confidence of his party getting the Mandya seat, she remarked: “I am also part of the NDA like his party [(JD-S]. I am very confident of the BJP retaining the Mandya seat [during the seat-sharing talks with the JD-S] and about my contesting on the BJP ticket.”
To a question on why would the BJP offer her the Mandya seat, Ms. Sumalatha said she had been supporting that party since the time she was elected — backing the Bills in Parliament and the other initiatives of the party.
“I have given my 100 per cent support to the BJP; I gave outside support to the party in the last Assembly polls in the State. All these factors are in my favour,” she said.
The MP said the Women’s Reservation Bill had been passed and the BJP was reportedly planning to provide more opportunities for women to contest elections.
“I am confident that the BJP will consider my candidature at the time of deciding to whom the ticket should be given,” Ms. Sumalatha said.
