Cong boots out pro-Sumalatha worker

The Congress has expelled its party worker Sachidananda for supporting independent candidate Sumalatha in Mandya, in what appears to be the party’s way of driving home the message that its cadre must support Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil of the JD(S).

Water Resources Minister D K Shivakumar has issued a diktat to the Congress workers that they have to accompany Nikhil when he files his nomination papers on Monday.

The Congress and the JD(S) are bitter rivals in Mandya, and the Congress is especially finding it difficult to convince its workers to work towards Nikhil’s victory in accordance with the pre-poll alliance with the JD(S).

Sumalatha is the wife of late actor-turned-politician Ambareesh, who commanded a large following in Mandya. The Congress denied her the ticket as Mandya was conceded to the JD(S) as part of the seat-sharing arrangement.

“All Congress leaders and workers have to be present when Nikhil files nomination. Both parties have to work together. Our candidate is the unanimous choice. Whatever problems that exist must be set aside,” Shivakumar told reporters.

Sachidananda, however, said he would continue to support Sumalatha. “This is about our self-respect. They may have expelled me, but there are lakhs of Congress workers who are supporting Sumalatha,” he said.