Daijiworld Media Network - Mandya (SP)

Mandya, Mar 6: MLA, Anitha Kumaraswamy, flared up at the mention of her party, JD(S), being a family party. "Tell me which other party does not have family members managing the affairs of the party," she quipped.

Anitha felt that the family of Deve Gowda is being sullied unnecessarily by singling it out for running JD(S) affairs, even though children of other politicians like Yeddyurappa and Siddaramaiah are also involved with politics. Speaking to media persons after offering puja at Lord Hole Anjaneya Swamy temple at Maddur in the district on Tuesday, she fielded questions about fielding Nikhil Kumaraswamy from Mandya. "Nikhil is being fielded not because of family aspirations. People of Mandya district have desired that he should be fielded by the party. We have accepted this demand," she claimed.

Anitha has been visiting a number of temples, where she has been offering special puja and praying for the success of her son in the Lok Sabha election. She is said to have taken a vow to visit this temple and offer special puja for five consecutive Tuesdays if her son comes out successful.

Speaking at Kolar, when reporters questioned Kumaraswamy about opposition faced to Nikhil's candidature at Mandya, he said he is not aware of any such opposition and he is not bothered by the statements of all and sundry.

With Siddaramaiah saying that Sumalatha Ambareesh would not be fielded from Mandya by the Congress, it is almost certain that she will fight the election against Nikhil Kumaraswamy as an independent candidate. In the meanwhile, BJP has been trying to rope her into the saffron party. BJP legislator, Basanagouda Patil Yetnal, has invited her to join his party and fight as its candidate from Mandya constituency.