Mangaluru : Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje tore into minister H D Revanna for his reported insensitive remarks on actor Sumalatha.
Revanna is in eye of the storm for questioning her political foray within five months after M H Ambareesh, her actor-turned-politician husband’s demise.

“Sumalatha is Kannada’s daughter/daughter-in-law who has made Karnataka her home for the past three-decades and more,” Shobha said.

Interacting with reporters on the side lines of Shaktikendra convention on Saturday, the MP wondered if the conduct of Revanna, when Ambareesh passed away in November last, was all a farce! “Shouldn’t a woman who has lost her husband venture out or come to politics,” the MP questioned. Demanding that Revanna tender an unqualified apology to the actor, Shobha said, “Face politics politically and do not get in to mean minded personal attacks.”

On possible support by the BJP to Sumalatha’s candidature in Mandya from where she is looking forward to contest on a Congress ticket, party that her husband was associated with, Shobha said the party leadership will take a call on this. To a query on growing number aspirants for her parliamentary constituency, Shobha said, “Udupi-Chikkamagaluru is a party stronghold, unlike Mandya and Hassan and aspirants will naturally be more.”

State BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa said he has discussed the issue of allocation of Lok Sabha tickets with party chief Amit Shah. “I will again discuss the same with the state leadership before finalising it with national leaders in Delhi,” Yeddyurappa said. “It is left to JD(S)-Congress to field Sumalatha from Mandya or not. However, (Revanna) speaking lightly about her is something that cannot and should not be condoned,” the former CM said.

Noting that electorate of Mandya will reply to JD(S) tactics of intimidation and demeaning of the actor, Yeddyurappa said the BJP has made no efforts to woo Sumalatha. “We have also not taken a call on supporting her in case she decides to contest as an independent,” he said. “Father-son (referring to former PM H D Deve Gowda and CM H D Kumaraswamy) have no morality to speak about Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Yeddyurappa added.

Averring that the Election Commission may announce the general election schedule in a couple of days, Yeddyurappa said he is touring the entire state with the aim of ensuring that the BJP wins 22 Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka. “There is huge wave in favour of Modi beyond expectation,” Yeddyurappa said, adding ineffective state government that is ‘dead’ to people’s aspirations will receive a rude awakening post Lok Sabha polls.