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Journalism of Courage
Sumalatha, wife of Ambareesh and BJP-supported independent candidate from Mandya parliament constituency for the 2019 polls recorded a comfortable win against Nikhil. As the counting concluded on Thursday, the independent candidate backed by the BJP won by a margin of 1,25,876 votes.
She was pitted against Nikhil Kumaraswamy of the JD (S), son of chief minister Kumaraswamy.
Interestingly, apart from Sumalatha Ambareesh, there were three other Sumalathas in the fray. The ‘dummy’ candidates together received more than 25,000 votes.
Exit polls including the one conducted by TV9-News9-CVoter had predicted that Sumalatha would win in Mandya.
Most exit polls predicted a Sumalatha victory including Aaj Tak – Axis My India, C-Voter, ABP News Nielsen and Republic Jan Ki Baath among others. Some like Chankaya, Times Now, News-18 – IPSOS and India Today – CNX were among the exit polls indicating that Nikhil would win.
Sumalatha was a cynosure of all eyes and ran a very emotional campaign in the name of her husband Ambareesh. Supported by the BJP, and certain Congress rebels and dissidents in the district, who were followers of her husband Ambareesh, Sumalatha split the Congress – JD (S) coalition right in the middle and where it hurts.
Nikhil’s defeat in Mandya, which is considered as the backyard of the Gowda family, was something unthinkable if not for Sumalatha.
Her film star husband Ambareesh had won from Mandya thrice and is a household name in the villages of the district.
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