BENGALURU: Former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy made a personal attack against Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambareesh, in connection with the Cauvery water issue, which elicited a sharp reaction from actor-turned-MP Sumalatha, who said it shows his “culture and personality”.
Citing Sumalatha’s recent statement expressing concern about the safety of KRS dam at a recent meeting, Kumaraswamy had said, “The MP has spoken as though she will protect the dam. Probably if she is made to ‘sleep’ at the doors of KRS, everything will be tightened and water won’t leak.”
Claiming that Sumalatha got elected on the basis of public sympathy, Kumaraswamy said, “Such opportunities do not come often; the chance she got because of sympathy, should be utilised properly by working for the people or they will teach her a lesson”.
Sumalatha added, “Parliament election results in Mandya have proved whom the people wanted to teach a lesson. Leave aside that I’m an MP, making personal attacks against a woman -- what kind of culture is this? You were a former CM, don’t you have control over your language?”
Earlier, Kumaraswamy met Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday on issues concerning MySugar factory and alleged that Sumalatha was pushing for handing MySugar to private hands. Sumalatha rejected these allegations too, and said she was was not pushing for handing over MySugar factory to private parties. The MP said she had only requested the Chief Minister to open the factory following an appeal by farmers.
Noting that illegal mining was happening near KRS dam and it may cause damage to it, Sumalatha said she has not personally accused anybody behind it and, following her initiative, action was taken and a fine was imposed against those who indulged in such activities.It is a known fact that Kumaraswamy and Sumalatha share a bitter relationship, especially after Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil was defeated in Mandya by Sumalatha Ambareesh by over a margin of 1.25 lakh votes, in spite of JDS being in power in the state and having JDS MLAs in all constituencies in Mandya.