Bengaluru: In a big boost to actress Sumalatha, wife of late actor-turned-politician Ambarish, who is contesting as an independent candidate from Mandya, the BJP on Saturday announced that it will not field its candidate in Mandya and extend support to her.

The BJP Central Election Committee consisting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah took the decision to support Sumalatha in Mandya.

The party decided to support Sumalatha and not field any candidate to avoid split in anti-JD(S) votes, according to a senior BJP leader who added that the party will do everything possible to defeat Congress-JD(S) candidates in all constituencies.

Meanwhile, Sumalatha, who is busy campaigning in Mandya after filing her nomination on Mar. 20, said she wholeheartedly welcomes the BJP’s decision to support her.

Apart from the BJP, Sumalatha is getting support from rebel Congress leaders of Mandya district, KRRS and several other local organisations, which has made the road tougher for JD(S) candidate Nikhil, son of  Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, to make his political debut from Mandya Parliamentary Constituency.

The BJP’s decision not to field its candidate, makes the high pitched Mandya poll a two-way battle between independent candidate Sumalatha and JD(S) candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy.

The BJP has been attempting to make inroads into this Vokkaliga heartland and is trying to use the space created by the entry of Sumalatha Ambarish.

Even as she is on a campaign trail in Mandya, Sumalatha is getting support from several Congress leaders who are upset over the party’s decision to cede the seat to JD(S), while ignoring the demand of late actor-turned-politician’s wife.  Late Ambarish, who was earlier an MP from Mandya, also served as a Minister in the Congress Government headed by CM Siddharamaiah.

The Kannada film industry too is supporting  Sumalatha, which has rattled the JD(S) in its home turf.

Stones pelted at actor Darshan’s residence

Upset over actor Darshan supporting Sumalatha at Mandya, some miscreants are said to have pelted stone on the actor’s residence at Raja Rajeshwarinagar in Bengaluru in the wee hours of Saturday morning. The glass panes of Darshan’s car and the window panes of his house got damaged in stone-pelting. Jurisdictional R.R. Nagar Police visited the spot.

Congressmen to resign

Even as State Congress leaders are trying to pacify local Congress leaders from Mandya, some party office-bearers have threatened to resign from the party and work for Sumalatha. Youth Congress leader Aravind, spokesperson H.P. Shivashankar, office-bearers from Nagamanagala and Malavalli, NSUI and other Congress wings, have decided to quit and support Sumalatha, according to sources.

Alleging that former Minister M.S. Atmananda and leader Amaravathi Chandrashekar, who was close to late actor Ambarish, have colluded with the JD(S), they accused Kumaraswamy of dividing the Congress and finish off the party in Mandya.

They also charged Mandya DCC President Gangadhar of acting against a few to take personal benefit from the CM.