BENGALURU: As campaigning picks up pace for the April 26 Lok Sabha elections, an interesting political potboiler is in the offing at the Mandya constituency with all parties dragging the name of late actor Ambareesh.
His wife and sitting MP Sumalatha Ambareesh on Sunday attacked DCM and KPCC president DK Shivakumar, who criticised BJP-JDS candidate HD Kumaraswamy visiting her seeking her support.
Shivakumar said he was jealous of the turn of events in Mandya politics as Kumaraswamy visited his foe Sumalatha, who defeated Nikhil Kumaraswamy, a Congress-JD(S) alliance candidate, in the 2019 polls.
“What is wrong with Shivakumar if Kumaraswamy visits me? Did my husband Ambareesh betray the party which he served for over two decades,” she shot back.
Realising that the issue could take an emotional turn, Shivakumar on Monday clarified that he will never meddle with Sumalatha’s politics. “The whole country knows what Congress gave Ambareesh,” he said.
Kumaraswamy sought Sumalatha’s support as she is expected to make her decision public on Wednesday as to whether she would contest as an independent or identify herself with BJP.
Kumaraswamy, who chose to bury the hatchet with Sumalatha, called her “akka” (elder sister) during the meeting at her residence in Bengaluru and claimed that Ambareesh was close to him.
Mandya district in-charge minister N Chaluvarayaswamy, who had backed Sumalatha in 2019 when she contested as an independent, suggested to her to remain neutral in the upcoming polls. In the previous election, she rode the sympathy wave after Ambareesh’s death in 2018, and won handsomely. Whether she will remain apolitical or jump into the thick of action will be known on Wednesday when she holds a meeting with the supporters of the late actor.
Ambareesh, known as ‘Mandyada Gandu’ (son of Mandya), had represented the seat three times -- from 1998 to 1999 as a JDS MP and from 1999–2004 and 2004–2009 as a Congress representative. In 2008, he resigned as the minister of state for information and broadcasting, alleging that the Cauvery river dispute tribunal meted out injustice to the state.
All eyes on Sumalatha’s next POLITICAL move
Mysuru: Pressure is mounting on Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambreesh, who is all set to announce her next political move in April 3, to take a “self-respecting” decision. Agriculture Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy said Sumalatha should announce her support to the Congress, or take a neutral stand in the forthcoming polls. Sumalatha missed the BJP ticket as it allowed JDS to field its state president HD Kumaraswamy. Meanwhile, state BJP chief B Y Vijayendra and Kumaraswamy appealed Sumalatha for support. The MP has called a meeting of her followers and fans of veteran actor late Amabreesh to announce her decision, keeping political leaders on the tenterhooks.
