Krishna to campaign for Sumalatha on April 4

Former Union minister and BJP leader S M Krishna on Sunday said he will campaign for independent candidate Sumalatha in Mandya on April 4.

Canvassing for Union minister Sadananda Gowda at an apartment here, Krishna said he will do as directed by the party. "I will be campaigning for Sumalatha on April 4. Other meetings will be decided by the party," he said.

The Vokkaliga leader said people will set the path for India's growth by voting for BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. The BJP is betting on Krishna to draw votes in the Vokkaliga-dominated constituency.

Sumalatha is taking on Nikhil, son of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy as an independent after the Congress gave away Mandya to the JD(S) as part of an agreement reached by the coalition.

He said the opposition parties have no leader to throw a challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The Mahaghatabandan has failed. Such a disparate group of parties, even if they come to power, won't be able to provide a stable government," Krishna added.

Sadananda Gowda requested the people not to go on vacation during the voting day. "The polling day coincides with a long weekend. I request you not to rush out of Bengaluru. Stay back and vote," he said.