Sumalatha, a 59-year-old yesteryear's multilingual actress is the widow of popular actor-turned-politician M H Ambareesh.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Sumalatha became the first independent candidate to win the elections in Karnataka in 52 years.
The BJP did not field a candidate in Mandya and decided to back her while the JD(S) fielded Nikhil as their candidate.
A few Congress rebels who were followers of her late husband and actor Ambareesh also supported her.
Sumalatha defeated JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil in a bitterly contested election battle.
Popular actors Darshan, Yash had campaigned for Sumalatha ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Mandya district is traditionally a JD(S) bastion and the party won all the seven assembly seats in 2018 polls.
Congress, its arch-rival, is considerably strong here, while the BJP is weak.
Sumalatha's induction can provide a boost to the BJP in Mandya district.