BENGALURU: Actor-turned-politician Sumalatha Ambareesh, who is fighting a high-voltage electoral battle at Mandya, received a shot in the arm with Prime Minister Narendra Modi making a special mention of the actor and her late husband Ambareesh. Sumalatha is pitted against another political greenhorn Nikhil Kumar, son of Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, contesting as JD(S) and Congress’ nominee.
Modi, who was addressing a convention of party workers from Mysuru-Kodagu and Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha constituencies, made a special mention of Sumalatha. Before summing up his 35-minute long address, Modi said, “The works undertaken by Ambareesh is in the minds of people. Both Sumalatha and her husband Ambareesh have contributed to the language and culture of the state. We should strengthen Sumalatha.”
BJP has already given support to Sumalatha by not fielding its candidate in Mandya constituency.
However, the actor is maintaining equal distance from the saffron party with her arch-rivals allegedly spreading rumours to nix her chances by saying, “If voted to parliament, she may join the saffron party.” However, she has refuted the same as rumours.