Three Sumalathas join fray to ‘confuse’ voters

BENGALURU: Three women named Sumalatha have filed nomination papers as independent candidates in Mandya indicating a possible nervousness in the JDS camp from the presence of actor Sumalatha Ambareesh in the fray as an independent candidate.

Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Kumaraswamy is contesting as JDS candidate. This Mandya Lok Sabha polls have turned out to be prestigious for the CM, whose family is carrying out a frenetic campaign in the district.

The presence of three other Sumalathas in the fray is being seen by analysts as an attempt by the ruling JDS-Congress combine to confuse voters.


A few days after the BJP announced its unconditional support to Sumalatha in a bid to defeat the ruling combine, the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) on Tuesday pledged its support to Sumalatha Ambareesh.

Raitha Sangha leader Sunitha Puttannaiah said her outfit does not want an outside to represent Mandya in the LS. Sumalatha also enjoys the support of the BJP, besides fans of Ambareesh and sections of Congress workers.

In Bengaluru, rural development minister Krishna Byre Gowda filed his nomination papers as Congress candidate from Bengaluru North on Tuesday after the JDS gave the seat to the Congress for want of a candidate.