In Mandya the Cauvery heartland is witnessing a stars war in the Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka. Mandya constituency has become a litmus test for the Congress –JD(S) combine which is experimenting on Dominant community- AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities, Dalits and backward castes), a platform of backward classes and Dalits, a formula of Siddaramaiah to win and fight the BJP. Nikhil Kumaraswamy an young actor and son of Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy of the Gowda clan from JD(S) is fighting another panchabasha star Sumalatha widow of Ambareesh, a renowned film actor. She is supported by the BJP and rebel JD(S) and congress leaders is contesting as an independent candidate. Mandya which falls under old Mysuru region is the hot bed of Vokkaliga politics.
People here say it is the fight between Mandya pride Sumalatha and Nikhil Kumaraswamy, a Vokkaliga coming from Hassan. He is the third person from the Gowda clan to contest apart from HD Devegowda from Tumakuru and Prajwal Revanna son of HD Revanna a minister in the coalition cabinet from Hassan, the traditional seat vacated by Devegowda. All the members of the family which include former Prime Minister Devegowda, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and HD Revanna have defended their decision to field them by saying it was the decision of the party . Meanwhile in all these constituencies they are facing rebellion and people are questioning their choice of selection of the clan.
For JD(S) the coalition with Congress has given an impetus to consolidate their position in Karnataka. Even though Congress is joining hands with JD(S) in confidential the leaders say it was mistake going with JD(S). AT grass root level the congress workers are confused and refused to work for JD(S) candidates. It is happening in Mandya, Hassan and Tumakuru. In Hassan senior Congress leader A Manju has joined BJP to fight Gowda clan. He is fighting from BJP ticket against Prajwal Revanna. In Tumakuru as a last minute effort two rebel candidates Mudduhanumegowda and KN Rajanna withdrew their nominations in support of Devegowda. But still workers of the congress party are confused.
Ambareesh, a popular Kannada film star who died last year, had represented the seat thrice -- two times on Congress ticket and once as Janata Dal candidate. The Mandya seat has become a prestige issue for the JD(S) as party patriarch Deve Gowda is launching his grandson Nikhil Gowda into politics with this contest. Sumalatha’s decision to fight from the seat has left the JD(S) fuming. The party had won all the eight assembly segments under the Lok Sabha constituency in the 2018 Assembly elections. Ambareesh enjoyed a following in Mandya which he represented in Lok Sabha thrice from 1998 to 2009 and was the Union minister of state for information and broadcasting for a small duration. He had left the Janata Dal and joined the Congress in 1999.
Sumalatha has alleged there is a threat to her life and requested the Election Commission to provide her security.She said Mandya has become a sensitive seat as Chief Minister Kumaraswamy’s son is contesting from there.
JDs spokesperson Ramesh Babu says she is desparate and taking the support of BJP. He said “Sumalatha is having so much of power aspiration and she is knocking on the doors of BJP... Now people are getting the reality. The BJP is playing all these things. Voters of Mandya will not entertain such dirty politics. We will retain the Mandya seat.”
The JD(S) sitting MP from Mandya LR Shivarame Gowda is apparently upset as he has not been given ticket to contest from Mandya though he won in the bypolls a few months ago, according to his supporters. The Congress has e directed its workers to back the JD(S) candidate Nikhil Gowda. Kumaraswamy who is a film producer and financier has control in Kannada film industry. But many super stars like Dharshan and Yesh are actively supporting Sumalatha which has upset HD Kumaraswamy. Cheluvarayaswamy another JDs rebel leader is also supporting Sumalatha.
Sumalatha Ambareesh also registered a complaint with Election Commission, alleging that Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy was using state machinery to spy on her.
Sumalatha, alleged that her phone was being tapped and her movements were closely monitored by state intelligence officers. “IB officers have been positioned around my house,” she claimed.
Placing her concerns before the poll panel, Sumalatha sought security and claimed that her political rivals were giving hate-filled statements against her publicly.
“Tapping a phone and sending intelligence officers to spy on someone are not good signs for a chief minister. I have no issues over Kumaraswamy campaigning with his whole family but why is that when Darshan, Yash (actors) and my son Abhishek campaign for me, there is a snapping of cable network and power connections,” she asked.
“We will not kneel to your threats,” she added. Actors Darshan and Yash have described themselves as ‘oxen of Sumalatha’s bullock cart’. The actors who were close to late actor Ambareesh are engaged in extensive campaigning for Sumalatha.
However Kumaraswamy said, “Those stars who are supporting Sumalatha are fake oxen and the real Oxen are me and DK Shivakumar (Congress leader and water resources minister).”
Sumalatha slammed the chief minister’s comments and said that Kumaraswamy was stooping low. Mandya is going to polls on April 18.
