A new face in Mandya

The JD(S) in Karnataka is certainly rattled by actor Sumalatha’s keenness to contest from Mandya in the coming parliamentary elections. Not without reason. Given that the party won all Assembly seats in Mandya in the 2018 elections, the JD(S) was sure of bagging the constituency with minimum fuss, for the third time in a row. Having an alliance with the Congress, its main challenger in the region, was expected to make the electoral fight a non-contest. The entry of Sumalatha, wife of actor-politician Ambareesh who passed away recently, could change all that.

Ambareesh won from the Mandya Lok Sabha seat thrice, Mandya Assembly constituency once, and the support he enjoyed in the region transcended political and caste barriers. Sumalatha is egged on by the hugely influential Ambareesh fan clubs and some Congress leaders in Mandya. With the sympathy factor expected to play a role in the contest, Sumalatha, with or without any party backing, will prove to be a strong contender.

While the Congress can easily give up the constituency to its ally as part of the seat-sharing deal, it will find it difficult to persuade Sumalatha to not contest, though some senior leaders are seriously trying. And there is no reason why she should listen to the party. Ambareesh was clearly disenchanted with the Congress after being dropped from the Siddaramaiah ministry and sidelined. He mostly stayed off party affairs after that. Besides, a section of the state Congress leadership is said to be secretly supportive of Sumalatha’s political ambitions.

If Sumalatha is keen on a political career, this is probably the right time to make an entry. Having sensed the threat, the JD(S) leadership, led by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, has started questioning the Ambareesh family’s contribution to Mandya. While the Congress may not be able to field Sumalatha as its candidate, it should not allow itself to be arm-twisted into ensuring that she does not contest at all. Sumalatha has every right to contest the polls. Let the people make their choice.