Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP) 

Bengaluru, Feb 26: JD(S) which is determined to retain Mandya Lok Sabha seat with itself, has begun exerting pressure on Congress party to convince Sumalatha Ambareesh to withdraw from the fray. JD(S) supremo, H D Deve Gowda, who seems to have developed a cold feet at the belligerent mood exhibited by Sumalatha, has begun discussing the issue with Congress leaders. He does not want to face adversities caused by a strong candidate like Sumalatha being pitted against his grandson in the election.

Congress leaders have therefore been getting in touch with important people in the cine world having good rapport with Sumalatha to request them to convince her to stay away from the coming election. Congress leaders have conveyed to Sumalatha that she would be considered for some other position in the coming days.

D K Shivakumar, Sumalatha

Minister D K Shivakumar has been entrusted with the task of dissuading Sumalatha and he has already held discussions with Deve Gowda. Deve Gowda reportedly told him that statements about Sumalatha's candidature might create confusion and result in reverses for the coalition. "Some leaders from your own party are egging her to contest the election, and people from our own community are scheming against us. Therefore, you should see that Sumalatha stays away," he reportedly told Shivakumar. Shivakumar thereafter got in touch with Sandalwood’s Rockline Venkatesh and asked him to urge Sumalatha against nursing political ambitions at this stage as the party would be suitably rewarding her in future.

In the meantime, Sumalatha has decided to acquire a house in Mandya, sources stated. Mandya is the constituency of choice from where the chief minister's son, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, wants to take political plunge as a coalition candidate.