Sumalatha Ambareesh, the independent candidate from the Mandya Lok Sabha constituency on Tuesday accused a top JD(S) leader of morphing her images and trying to intimidate her.
Speaking to TNM at Srirangapattana’s Kalenahalli, Sumalatha alleged, “I don’t know if I should speak about it now but a top JD(S) leader contacted me. He told me that he would morph my photographs to make them look like illicit pictures. He said he could morph my pictures to make it look like anything he wished to and that he was ready to do it. I would not be surprised if you see morphed pictures and videos of me in the future.”
Sumalatha also stated that she would not be hindered by such threats and that she would face whatever came her way. “I have not done anything wrong so I have nothing to fear,” she added.
Sumalatha Ambareesh is the wife of former Congress MP and legendary actor Ambareesh. She is contesting as an independent and is up against Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and the JD(S)-Congress candidate from Mandya.
She also accused the JD(S) leaders in Mandya of trying to lure her close associates into the party and alleged that two of her aides, who work for her social media team were offered bribes by the JD(S) leaders.
“The leaders have contacted two people on my social media team and offered them money to make defamatory statements about me. In addition, the JD(S) leaders offered them Rs 15 lakh. They are also being pressured to go to Dubai until the dust settles. These are the ways the JD(S) leaders are targeting me,” she alleged.
Sumalatha also claimed that the family members of her associates informed her about the JD(S) leaders holding talks with them and said that they were under a lot of pressure.
Reacting to Sumalatha’s statement, Mandya district in-charge Minister CS Puttaraju said that the JD(S) has not reached such a pathetic condition that its leaders would morph Sumalatha’s pictures to gain votes.
“We are not in a pathetic condition that we have to resort to such tactics. If Sumalatha has not done anything wrong then why is she so scared? I don’t know why she is so depressed. The people of Mandya will make their decision clear on April 18 and we will win,” Puttaraju added.