The Mandya Challenge - On The Campaign Trail

Mandya in south Karnataka is witnessing a very dramatic battle. With Nikhil of the Janata Dal Secular, the son of chief minister HD Kumaraswamy being the official coalition candidate - it is a matter of prestige for the JDS that he wins. His opponent is Sumalatha Ambareesh - an independent candidate backed by the BJP. Her late husband, the superstar Ambareesh, was with the Congress when he died last year. And many from the Congress are unhappy that their party surrendered the Mandya ticket to the JDS under coalition seat sharing arrangements. And some are openly supporting her - making this surely one of the only places where BJP and Congress flags are waving in support of the same candidate.