Mandya: Surprisingly, flags of Congress, BJP and Raitha Sangha were waved at the election campaign of Sumalatha, wife of late Ambarish and Lok Sabha (LS)  independent candidate from Mandya, at Kilara village in the taluk yesterday.

Barring the weird incident, the cynosure of all eyes at the campaign were two persons in traditional dress and holding trumpets which happens to be the election symbol of Sumalatha.

Thousands of supporters greeted Sumalatha on her arrival.  About 50 youth took out a bike rally with the road show in tow.

Speaking on the occasion, Sumalatha said that with no consideration on her being a woman, the Chief Minister and his Cabinet Minister and his Cabinet colleagues were literally harassing her levelling accusations. She appealed voters to teach a proper lesson for such leaders who have no respect for women.

Continuing, Sumalatha regretted that those leaders were saying that there was no pain or grief on her face. She asserted that to alleviate sorrow she has come forward to meet people and serve them. She further said that she had decided to contest in the election to complete the works left behind by Ambarish. She added that three women with the same name as hers have been fielded as independent candidates to distract the voters which seems to be a deliberate action.

Former MLA H.B. Ramu, former Taluk Panchayat President C. Tyagaraju and others were present. A person offered betel leaves and areca nut with Rs.1,000 cash to Sumalatha, who politely declined to accept money but not the leaves              and nut.

At Srirangapatna

A preliminary meeting of Congress activists, organised at Congress office here yesterday in the context of election campaign to be undertaken by coalition LS candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy, faced a set back with a section of the gathering praising Sumalatha with paeans which prompted the organisers to curtail the function half way through.

The meeting of Congress activists of Srirangapatna, Melukote and K.R. Pet was convened by District Congress President C.D. Gangadhar. As the meeting begun, a few participants allegedly shouted slogans against Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, Minister C.S. Puttaraju and Nikhil Kumaraswamy. Making things worse, paeans were heard in favour of Sumalatha.

With no way out, Gangadhar called off the meeting.