MYSURU: Actor-turned-politician Sumalatha Ambareesh, who is contesting as an Independent from Mandya, has said that she will approach the Election Commission against Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy who recently alleged that she was engineering stone-pelting at her rallies and blaming JD(S). Saying that the CM’s statement was provocative, Sumalatha said she felt frightened by the remark. Sumalatha said she has sought CRPF protection for her and her son Abhishek and actors Yash and Darshan, who are campaigning for her. She maintained that she did not have faith in the state police. Sumalatha was speaking at a campaign here on Saturday, 

‘Contact US prez for security!'

Hitting back at Sumalatha, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has said that she can opt for Z-plus security or take protection from American commandos. Kumaraswamy said Sumalatha can ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak to the US President in this regard. The CM also clarified that Modi misinterpreted his recent remark on jawans. 

The PM had said Kumaraswamy was insulting jawans by saying that people were joining the defence forces so that they could get two square meals a day. Kumaraswamy clarified that what he said was that people from rural and poor background were joining the Armed Forces as the government failed to generate employment. “I appeal to Modi not to play with the lives of soldiers as those from poor economic background are protecting the borders,” he added.

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‘Audio tape’ raises eyebrows 

Sumalatha said she will approach the EC over a purported audio conversation between Mandya MP LR Shivarame Gowda’s son Chetan Gowda and former JD(S) leader Ramesh which has been making the rounds in which it is heard that Rs 150 crore will be spent on the polls in Mandya and Rs 5 lakh will be spent on each booth in the constituency and non-vegetarian food will also be arranged for the residents. Sumalatha said JD(S) was indulging in tactics to defeat her. JD(S) first launched personal attacks on her, Sumalatha said adding that the party also used social media to defame her. Meanwhile, Shivarame Gowda denied that the voice in the tape was of his son’s and maintained that he could not get in touch with Chethan for the last two days.