Sumalatha Ambareesh, the wife of late Congress leader and former union minister MH Ambareesh putting rest to all speculations said on Monday that she will contest from Mandya as an independent candidate for the Lok Sabha elections.
Sumalatha said, in a press conference attended by various actors and producers, “I will contest from Mandya as an independent candidate in Lok Sabha election. “I am not a politician, but a people’s servant. I want to take forward Ambareesh’s vision for Mandya.”
“Everybody I have met in Mandya has told me the faith they had in him (MH Ambareesh), they will transfer that to me. That way we can keep memory of him alive. The decision I have taken if it hurts anyone,I apologise. I am taking this step to continue his legacy,” Ambareesh added.
Sumalatha Ambareesh has been touring Mandya district in the last few days, meeting supporters of Ambareesh.
Karnataka’s ruling Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) on Thursday had announced Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil as its candidate from Mandya Lok Sabha constituency. “It was the party workers who had suggested Nikhil as the candidate. He (Nikhil) is keen to serve the people of the constituency,” said Kumaraswamy addressing a party rally in Mandya.
The announcement of the 29-year-old Kannada actor’s candidature from the JD-S stronghold of Mandya came in the presence of JD-S supremo H.D. Deve Gowda and other party leaders. “Nikhil was chosen as JD-S candidate after consulting all our legislators,” Deve Gowda told the gathering.
