Chikkamagaluru: Nikhil in Cong’s chakravyuha – H.D. Kumaraswamy

Chikkamagaluru: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy did not spare the media, in particular the electronic media, and slammed television channels for constantly focusing on Mandya and the independent candidate Mrs Sumalatha. “What the electronic media has been telecasting is totally different from the situation prevailing in villages in Mandya. The electronic media has been telecasting so much about Mandya as though this is the sole constituency going to polls in the country,” he added.

JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda with Deputy Chief Minister Dr. G Parameshwara during an election campaign at Madhugiri Vidhana Sabha Constituency in Tumakuru on Friday (Photo: KPN)

The Chief Minister, however, exuded confidence that farmers of Mandya would support JD (S) as his government had sanctioned Rs 400 crores towards waiver of farm loans in the district.  

Nikhil Kumaraswamy on the campaign trail in Mandya

In her reaction to Mr Kumaraswamy’s outburst, Mrs Sumalatha Ambareesh, however, told the media that Congress were with her. She queried what the Chief Minister was talking about her son being hemmed in when “activities of the entire government machinery, ministers and MLAs” were aimed at defeating her. "Which Vyuha is that?. They (JD-S) are playing dirty tricks. They have fielded three other candidates with the name Sumalatha against me. Those three candidates are wearing glasses, necklace and attire like me in the photograph submitted in their affidavit," she added.  

She entered the fray as an independent after the Congress declined to offer her the ticket, but secured the support of BJP leaders as the party decided to support her instead of picking a candidate to contest from this hotbed of Vokkaliga politics.

The decision of Congress leaders to forge a seat-sharing pact with JD (S) has upset scores of party workers and local leaders in Mandya, Hassan and Tumakuru Lok Sabha constituencies resulting in a section taking a decision to rise in revolt against the top leaders in defiance of the diktat not to support Mrs Sumalatha Ambareesh.

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