Mandya: Siddaramaiah shuts doors for Sumalatha

Hubballi: Former Chief Minister, Siddaramiah on Tuesday ruled out the possibility of the Congress fielding Ms Sumalatha, wife of the late actor/politician, M H Ambarish, from Mandya as the Janata Dal (Secular) had already staked claim to the constituency.

Speaking to reporters here , he said, "The Congress is not in a position to claim Mandya as it has already been taken by the JD(S). So the question of fielding Sumalata does not arise. But it is left to her to contest as an independent candidate from the constituency."

While Chief Minister, H D Kumaraswamy has made it clear he sees Mandya as a launching pad for his son, Nikhil, in politics,  Ms Sumalata has been pushing hard to contest from the constituency on a Congress ticket.

The actress had recently met Mr Siddaramaiah while pushing for the Congress ticket to contest from the Mandya Lok Sabha constituency.  Her late husband and actor-politician Ambareesh had represented the seat three times in the Lok Sabha.

However, with the Congress cold shouldering her, Ms Sumalatha may in al likelihood enter the Mandya fray as an Independent.

On talks between the coalition partners on seat sharing for the Lok Sabha poll, Mr Siddaramaiah said it was a cordial discussion and they would arrive at an understanding over the next three or four days.

"An internal party survey  has predicted it will win at least 20 of the 28 seats in Karnataka," he added.

On the resignation of Chincholi MLA, Umesh Jadhav,  he recalled  that the legislator had been elected twice on a Congress ticket, but now, enticed by the BJP's Operation Lotus, had quit the party. "This move of Jadhav will attract the anti-defection law, and so  the Speaker is unlikely to accept his resignation," he reasoned.

Mr Siddaramaiah said it was being rumoured among political parties that   Dr Jadhav had received Rs 25 to Rs 30 crore to defect to the BJP, but admitted he had no evidence as yet t support his claim.