BENGALURU: “It doesn’t matter if I win or lose the Lok Sabha election, I know I have won the hearts of the people of Mandya,’’ said a satisfied Sumalatha Ambareesh, Independent candidate who took on Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil in this hotseat.“I could see the love and adoration the people of Mandya have for Ambareesh. That they loved him I had no doubt, that they still love him is very satisfying,’’ she said. Asked what she expected on May 23, she said, “I know I will win. I did not commission a survey or an exit poll, but I see it in the people’s eyes.’’
She is happy with that the voting percentage touched 80% and claims that things will go in her favour. “It was 86% in Melukote assembly segment, Mandya has about 16-17 lakh voters and for a win, one needs nearly 7 lakh votes,” she said, confident of polling that number.
After a gruelling month on the road, Sumalatha has some treasured memories of her campaign. “In many places, people would walk up to me and offer money for my poll expenses. The most touching was when a vegetable vendor came and thrust a few soiled Rs 20 notes and said ‘this is for your election’. I tried returning the money but he refused and walked away. Many gave Rs 50 or Rs 100, that’s the love of the people that I feel is so satisfying.”
Sumalatha, who drove back to Bengaluru from Mandya, plans to build a house in Marutinagar in Mandya, and stay there. Yet, there are some issues that rankle Sumalatha, who is angry that her supporters, especially superstars Darshan and Yash, are being targeted. Lashing out at CM H D Kumaraswamy, she said, “What can you expect from the CM who openly said that our supporters and campaigners will regret their actions after elections? It’s an open threat.” She claimed that three days after election day, her supporters are still being intimidated, and JD(S) workers are resorting to goondagiri.”
One of her booth-level workers in Alagur, near Malavalli, had objected when JD(S) workers brought in an able-bodied voter into the booth, pretending he was blind. When the worker objected to them bringing in four or five voters in this manner, he was assaulted. Another worker was threatened that he would be eliminated, while another supporter’s liquor shop was ransacked.