Mandya, 3 April 

Mandya's independent MP Sumalatha Ambareesh on Wednesday announced that she would join BJP, thereby extending her support to the NDA candidate and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections here.

"I will not leave Mandya and you will see me working for you in the coming days. I have decided to join the BJP," the 60-year-old actor-turned-politician said addressing her supporters here, adding, she will not contest the elections.

Sumalatha had won the 2019 general elections with the support of BJP defeating Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil.

JD(S) headed by former prime minister HD Deve Gowda joined NDA in September last year.

As part of the seat-sharing arrangement, BJP would now contest in 25 constituencies and JDS the remaining three, including Mandya, in the State.

She said though she was an independent MP, BJP government at the Centre gave grants to Mandya Lok Sabha constituency to the tune of Rs 4,000 crore, and praised BJP leaders for always taking her into confidence before taking any decision pertaining to the district.

Sumalatha said BJP leaders offered her to contest from elsewhere but she rejected it saying that she will stick to Mandya for being the 'daughter-in-law' of the district.

She said some of her supporters also wanted her to join Congress. "But a senior Congress leader said the party never felt the need of Sumalatha in the party -- neither earlier nor now or in future. How can a person with self-esteem ever wish to go to Congress after listening to these words," the MP said.