Mandya:  Following reports of widespread betting in Mandya by villagers, Independent candidate Sumalatha Ambarish’s son Abhishek Gowda has appealed to villagers not to indulge in betting, irrespective of who wins the election.

Hearing reports of villagers pledging land, livestock and bullock carts, Abhishek, while sipping jaggery-tea at a roadside shop in Mandya yesterday said that villagers should not pledge their hard-earned money in such activities.

“Please don’t spend money in betting and never pledge land as it is your only source of income,” he appealed. Betting spoils relationships and will lead to a lot of discontentment, he added.