'Congress will support Sumalatha'

Home Minister M B Patil has stated that coalition government Coordination Committee Chairman Siddaramaiah has called for a Congress Legislative Party meeting on February 6 not fearing the ‘Operation Kamala’, but to take every MLA into confidence for the smooth conduct of the upcoming Budget session.

He told reporters here, “The BJP does not have any operation theatre nor there is any patient to conduct Operation Kamala. It is a foregone thought”. He was speaking to media persons after taking part in the passing out parade of the fourth batch of civil police constable.

Referring to late actor-politician Ambareesh’s wife Sumalatha’s candidature for Lok Sabha polls, Patil said that Sumalatha is a popular personality in Mandya and over the years, they (Ambareesh and Sumalatha) have gained huge supporters. There is immense pressure from the Congress workers in Mandya to allot ticket to Sumalata. The party too is of the same opinion and will back her candidature. However, this is a coalition government and before fielding any candidate, senior leaders of both Congress and JD(S) will decide on ticket allotment and seat sharing, he said.

On slain researcher M M Kalburgi’s killers, Patil exuded confidence that the CID team and the state police will very soon crack this murder and bring the killers to book.