Late Congress leader MH Ambareesh's wife Sumalatha to contest Lok Sabha election from Mandya against Nikhil Kumaraswamy

Late Congress leader MH Ambareesh's wife Sumalatha will contest the Lok Sabha election from Mandya constituency of Karnataka as an independent candidate. Sumalatha Ambareesh's main rival will be Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy.

"I will contest from Mandya as an independent candidate in Lok Sabha election. Everybody I have met in Mandya has told me the faith they had in him (MH Ambareesh), they will transfer that to me. That way we can keep his memory alive. The decision I have taken if it hurts anyone, I apologise. I am taking this step to continue his legacy," said Sumalatha on Monday.

She had already declared in February that she plans to contest from Mandya in the Lok Sabha election.

Ambareesh, whose real name was Malavalli Huchche Gowda Amarnath, died on November 24, 2018. He represented Mandya in the Lok Sabha thrice. The first time Ambaressh won as a Janata Dal candidate but later joined the Congress and won twice. He also held the portfolio of Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting in the Manmohan Singh government from October 2006 and February 2007.

He contested the Karnataka Assembly election in 2013 from Mandya and won. He became the Minister of Housing in the Siddaramaiah government.

Mandya will vote on April 18, 2019, along with 96 other Lok Sabha constituencies across the country including 13 from Karnataka. The remaining 14 seats in Karnataka will vote on April 23, 2019.

The Lok Sabha election is taking place in seven phases. The voting dates are April 11, 18, 23, 29, May 6, 12 and 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23 and results will be declared simultaneously.