Congress Stares At Dissent In Mandya As Thousands Of Its Workers Turn Up To Support Sumalatha Ambareesh

Just a day after the top leaders from the Janata Dal (Secular) and Congress sent a strong message to put up a united fight against their arch rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state, thousands of Congress workers turned up to express their solidarity with actor-turned-politician Sumalatha Ambareesh as reported by New Indian Express.

Many Congress leaders also shared the stage with her while she addressed a crowd.

Sumalatha is currently contesting as an independent candidate from Mandya with the potential support of the BJP which is mulling throwing its weight behind her.

“I am ready to face any action taken by the high command. But, I owe my loyalty to Sumalatha. Be it former chief minister Siddaramaiah or Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara; I don’t have any regrets. Let them hobnob with any leaders of the regional party, we cannot bury the hatchets by compromising with our self-respect,” said Narasimha, the incumbent president of Congress ST Block, Nagamangala.

Sumalatha had waited for a Congress ticket, the party, however, refused her a ticket as the party supporting the JD(S) due to a pre-poll alliance.

The coalition is currently fielding Nikhil Gowda, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s, son as the candidate from Mandya.