All eyes on Sumalatha, Narayana Gowda
With the JD(S) formally announcing former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy as the BJPJD(S) combine’s candidate from Mandya Lok Sabha constituency in the forthcoming polls, all eyes are now on the next course of action of incumbent MP Sumalatha Ambareesh, who was hoping to seek reelection from the constituency as the BJP candidate.
Though Ms. Sumalatha had won as an independent candidate after defeating Nikhil Kumaraswamy, the CongressJD(S) combine’s nominee during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, she had declared her support to the BJP ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections in Karnataka. She had time and again reiterated that she was hopeful of securing the BJP ticket, but also made it clear that she would contest the elections only from Mandya Lok Sabha constituency, earlier represented by her late husband and actor Ambareesh.
Meanwhile, the Congress, which has already fielded Venkataramane Gowda, also known as ‘Star Chandru’, for Mandya Lok Sabha seat, said the party would welcome support from Ms. Sumalatha.
Agriculture Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy, who is also Minister incharge of Mandya district, recalled his close ties with the late Mr. Ambareesh and his family and said the Congress would welcome her support. With Ms. Sumalatha remaining tightlipped even after the BJP declared that it had ceded the seat to JD(S) as part of the seatsharing arrangement, the possibility of her returning to the fray as an independent candidate again is not yet ruled out. However, the Congress is hoping for the entry of former Minister K.C. Narayana Gowda to the fold.
Mr. Gowda, who had resigned as a JD(S) MLA representing K.R. Pet in Mandya along with 16 other Congress and JD* (S) MLAs in 2019 to trigger the collapse of the H.D. Kumaraswamyled coalition government and paved the way for the installation of the BJP government in the State, has been clearly uncomfortable with the BJPJD(S) tie up. He was among the few BJP leaders of Mandya, who had batted for Ms. Sumalatha’s candidature.
Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy said Mr. Gowda is in “contact” with the Congress and was confident that he and the supporters of late K.R. Pete Krishna will join the party soon.