Daijiworld Media Network - Mandya (SP)

Mandya, Feb 6: Pressure is building from Ambareesh's fans to field Sumalatha as a Congress candidate from Mandya Lok Sabha constituency this time. The supporters are even in favour of fielding her as an independent candidate if Congress does not get to field its own candidate from this constituency because of coalition politics.

As of now, it appears that Sumalatha is agreeable to enter politics. It is said that she will announce her final decision on February 11. If she enters politics, she is sure to draw support from Sandalwood as well Tollywood and popular actors might be able to tilt people's support in her favour, it is being analyzed. Therefore, many of the fans of the yesteryear star and her deceased husband, Ambareesh, have been exerting pressure on her to contest the election.

As far as JD(S) is concerned, Mandya and Hassan are the two safest bets it can count on. The party is planning to field chief minster's son, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, from Mandya, and minster, Revanna's son, Prajwal Revanna, from Hassan. But this proposal is encountering stiff resistance in Mandya where local Congressmen are against allowing JD(S) to contest from this constituency. The local leaders, in a strong message to Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee office bearers, said that they want Mandya constituency for the party, adding that if the JD(S) is disinclined to part with the seat, the party should even be prepared to end the coalition with that party.

It is said that former chief minister and BJP leader, S M Krishna, has invited Sumalatha to his house. She will shortly visit him at his residence, hold discussions, and get his guidance. BJP is said to be considering the prospects of fielding her as a party candidate, and if it is not feasible, to support her candidature as an independent.

In Mandya, discontentment is brewing within the JD(S) cadres against the proposal to field Nikhil Kumaraswamy as the party candidate.

In the meantime, Ambareesh fans held protest in front of the residence of MLC, K T Srikanthe Gowda, on Tuesday, in protest against his snub to Sumalatha in the form of a statement in which he had termed her as a rank outsider and called her 'Andhra Pradesh Gowdthi. These fans have pointed out that Kumaraswamy himself, in an interview with a Telugu channel, had claimed that his wife, Anita Kumaraswamy, was originally from Telugu land. Video clips of this interview is being circulated now widely through social websites.