Incumbent Lok Sabha member from Mandya Sumalatha Ambarish leaves the polling station after casting her vote at Doddarasinakere village in Maddur taluk of Mandya district on Friday.
DH Photo
Sitting Lok Sabha member from Mandya A Sumalatha said on Friday that she had sacrificed the seat to the JD(S) to extend her support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reports DHNS from Mandya.
Speaking to reporters after casting her vote at Doddarasinakere village in Maddur taluk on Friday, Sumalatha said that at a time when several leaders in Karnataka were not ready to spare their constituencies for other candidates despite being defeated there, she parted with Mandya seat, which she won as an Independent, only with the intention of ensuring the victory of Modi.
Reacting to recent statements of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda that Sumalatha did not extend support to Mandya candidate and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, she said that she has great respect for Deve Gowda. “Somebody must have misguided him. I would like to see the victory of the NDA candidate, as I want Modi to become prime minister for the third term.”
To a query that she did not visit Mandya for campaigning, Sumalatha said neither the JD(S) candidate nor anyone from the party invited her for the campaign. “I would have definitely come, if invited,” she added.
Meanwhile, the NDA candidate H D Kumaraswamy, who was in K Honnalagere of Maddur taluk, reacted to Sumalatha’s statement and said that he had personally invited her for the poll campaign.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, “I am not aware why Deve Gowda issued such a statement. I invited her for a poll campaign, when I visited her house. Besides, I had also asked her to campaign, when we participated in PM Modi’s programme in Mysuru. Leader of Opposition R Ashoka too was present. Even he did not come for the campaign”.
“I will not blame anyone on this issue. Sumalatha had come from Bengaluru to cast her vote for me. Many Congress workers too have extended their support for me,” he added.
FIR against C T Ravi for ‘hate post’ on social media
BJP leader C T Ravi was on Friday booked for allegedly promoting hatred and enmity between citizens through his social media post, the Election Commission said, reports PTI from Bengaluru.
The action was initiated by the election officials of Chikkamagaluru, they said. Taking to ‘X’, the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer said Chikkamagaluru election officials have booked an FIR against C T Ravi for his post on X for violation under the Representation of the People Act and 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) of the Indian Penal Code in Basavanahalli police station for allegedly promoting hatred and enmity between different classes of citizens.