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“Crooked politics is being played in Mandya,” said independent candidate Sumalatha, wife of late Kannada film actor Ambareesh.
Interacting with reporters at a ‘Meet the Press’ programme organised by Bangalore Reporters’ Guild and the Press Club of Bangalore on Wednesday, Sumalatha said, “Ever since the filing of my nomination for the Mandya Lok Sabha constituency, I have been seeing the dirty face of politics.”
Sumalatha said her supporters had submitted proof of the misuse of government machinery. “We are happy EC is investigating it seriously. I hope we get a favourable judgement,” she said.
“When JD(S) supporters talk ill of me and call me names, I just remember my late husband who did not practise the politics of hate and have been following his mantra in handling the situation,” she added.
Political entry
Narrating her entry into politics, Sumalatha said after her husband’s death, she was pressured by the people of Mandya to take his place. “I got convinced that I should be amidst the people of Mandya,” she said.
“As an independent candidate, I am facing the might of the government machinery,” she said. “Both the Congress and the Janata Dal Secular (JDS) tried to dissuade me from contesting from Mandya. The Congress offered me a constituency in Bengaluru while JD(S) offered me a Rajya Sabha seat. After I declined, both have been facing tremendous pressure.”
BJP support
“As I am cornered by the Congress and JD(S), the BJP has offered unconditional support and has backed my candidature,” she said. “Even before the BJP came to my support, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha leader late KS Puttanaiah’s supporters came and stood by me.”
Acknowledging that a few Congress workers are openly supporting her, she said there is resentment among Congress supporters in Mandya because the party leadership did not consult them over candidature or partnership with the JDS. “Also, during my campaigning in the district, I saw JD(S) after coming to power has squeezed fund flows to the Congress supported villages,” she alleged.
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