MYSURU: In filmy style, actor-turned-politician MH Ambareesh kept everybody including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah waiting, while he came and left the city without a word to anyone on Sunday. He is mulling over not contesting the forthcoming elections from Mandya, even though the party has announced him as their candidate, despite stiff opposition from a section of party workers led by another ticket aspirant Ravikumar.
Ambareesh, a former minister in Siddaramaiah’s cabinet who has been sulking ever since he was dropped from the council of ministers in 2016, has kept the higher-ups in the party on tenterhooks by not collecting the ‘B-form’ to contest the May 12 elections. His name was announced for Mandya among the 218 candidates, but he has been eluding the higher ups as the last day to file nominations draws closer with only two days left for April 24.
Ambareesh who was scheduled to meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, at the latter’s house in T K Layout here in the evening, did not turn up. The chief minister who had gone to H D Kote for a public meeting, which was part of the campaigning for the party nominee Anil Chikkamadu in the day, returned home on time for the meeting with Ambareesh . As the miffed leader did not turn up even after half an hour of the appointed time, Siddaramaiah left for Chamundeshwari.
Earlier in the day, when the rumours about Ambareesh’ s arrival in the city became thick and stronger, scores of party workers and also his fans gathered in front of Hotel Sandesh De Prince at Nazarbad. Though attempts were made to reach the actor, his staff did not let out any details of his plans. Amid this, it was also heard that Ambareesh was not willing to meet anybody. His close aide Amaravathi Chandrashekar from Mandya, who came along with an entourage of vehicles carrying supporters of the actor from the sugar town, also had to return disappointed without meeting his mentor.
Late in the evening, MLC Sandesh Nagaraj, the proprietor of Sandesh Hotel and a close friend of Ambareesh, who claimed to have spoken to the latter, told reporters, “Ambareesh has decided not to contest the elections. He has neither put forth any conditions nor has sought ticket for anybody as is being circulated in the media. He will not even join any other party or campaign for any candidate.”
Nagaraj also said that Ambareesh is expected to hold a meeting in Bengaluru on Tuesday, the last day to file nomination papers.