MLC polls: Won’t take sides, says Mandya MP Sumalatha

By Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: With powerful Mandya Independent MP Sumalatha Ambareesh decding to remain neutral during the Legislative Council polls to 25 seats, a triangular fight is in the offing between the Congress, Janata Dal (Secular) and BJP in Mandya All three parties were looking to Sumalatha for support in the elections from the local bodies constituency. The actor-turned politician had created a record of sorts becoming the first person in the history of Mandya to win the politically volatile Lok Sabha constituency as an Independent Hitherto, the seat was captured either by the Congress or Janata Dal leaders.

As wife of late M.H. Ambareesh who was a noted Kannada actor and politician, Sumalatha has a large following in the district and has not hesitated to take on JD(S) legislators . In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the sympathy wave for Ambareesh helped her to win Mandya, the Sugar Bowl of Karnataka, by a margin of 1.25 lakh votes against Nikhil Kumaraswamy, JD(S) candidate and son of former CM, H.D.Kumaraswamy.

While the Congress and BJP are hoping she will change her stance, support for the JD(S) is totally ruled out due to the personal attacks launched on her by JD(S) leaders during the LS polls.

Sumalatha does not want to be identified with any political party as it could lead to a fresh controversy. “I will support a party that strives for the development of Mandya district,” she said adding that she would not be visiting any place to seek support for anyone and would like to confine herself to wishing them the best of luck.

The BJP had expected that Sumalatha would support them since Prime Minister Narendra Modi had urged the electorate of Mandya to vote for her in the 2019 LS polls. Her neutral stand had disappointed the saffron party.

The Congress has fielded Dinesh Gooligowda as its Mandya candidate, and is banking n the support of local body representatives and gram panchayat members to win the seat. The BJP has given the ticket to Manju KR Pet while the JD(S) has chosen sitting MLC, Appajigowda again.