Bengaluru: Sumalatha Ambareesh, the first independent candidate to successfully win the Mandya Lok Sabha seat, met senior BJP leader SM Krishna in Bengaluru on Sunday.
She was accompanied by former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP state president BS Yeddyurappa and party leader R Ashoka.
Sumalatha Ambareesh, the veteran actor and wife of late former Congress lawmaker MH Ambareesh, scripted history by winning against Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy with a margin of over 1 lakh votes.
"Just wait and see," said Yeddyurappa on being asked about the political development in the state.
Meanwhile, Ambareesh said: "I am here to thank everyone. SM Krishna is a senior most respected leader and he hails from Mandya. I had taken his blessings earlier and now I want to thank him."
After the meeting, Yeddyurappa said that they met Krishna to congratulate him for covering around 27 parliamentary constituencies in the concluded Lok Sabha elections.
"SM Krishna ji has covered about 27 constituencies in the LS elections. Because of him, we got all the Bangalore seats. I came here to congratulate him," he said.
He accepted that Congress leaders including Ramesh Jarkiholi and Dr Sudhakar came to meet Krishna. "Jarkiholi and other Congress leaders are his close friends. They came here to congratulate Krishna ji," Yeddyurappa said.
Responding to speculations if Sumalatha is joining BJP, Yeddyurappa said: "She is going to take opinion from people of Mandya. After discussing it with them, she will take an appropriate decision."
He further dismissed the reports of BJP trying to form government in Karnataka. "We are happy to be in the Opposition. Government in Karnataka? Not at all, we are not working on it."
Sumalatha also spoke to media and expressed happiness over her massive win in Mandya.
"Supporters will always wish the best for you. We have to see how it unfolds the whole scenario. The country has given a huge amazing mandate to one party (BJP), which itself is a very healthy side. Now, the government is strengthened and they can do all kind of welfare programmes. I am going to get a slice of it for my district," she said.
"As an independent, you are not allowed to join any party. You can only support from outside," she said on her possibility of joining the BJP.
She added that she will go to Mandya on 29 May, which happens to be her husband's birthday. "I would like to give credit to everyone who has worked hard for me. It was a tough an election, a lot of people did not give me a chance at all," she said.
On the other hand, Ashoka said, "I came to meet SM Krishna Ji to discuss party matters. I have no friendship with Congress leaders Ramesh Jarkiholi and Dr Sudhakar."
It is worth mentioning that BJP had supported her by not fielding any candidate from the Lok Sabha seat.
The BJP won 25 of the 28 seats along with an Independent backed by it just leaving one seat each to Congress and JD(S).
Narendra Modi-led NDA swept the elections and won 352 out of 542 seats in the 17th Lok Sabha elections. As per official numbers, the BJP secured 303 seats, 22 more than its 2014 figures.
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