Mandya Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer for the Lok Sabha byelection on Saturday issued a show-cause notice to the former Janata Dal (S) MLA M. Srinivas for making intemperate remarks on the parentage of actor-turned-politician Ramya, who is contesting the bypolls from Mandya.
This follows the Congress petition demanding action against Mr. Srinivas.
The Returning Officer also issued a show-cause notice to JD(S) candidate from Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha constituency C.S. Puttaraju as the Congress, in its petition, demanded his disqualification.
According to the media department of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee KPCC, Mandya District Congress Committee president T.S. Satyananda said in his petition that no one could make personal attacks, violating the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
Meanwhile, the Mandya District unit of the Karnataka Mahila Congress staged a protest demanding similar action against the JD(S) leaders. Led by Mahila Congress president Manjula Naidu, party activists condemned the JD(S) leader’s remarks and blocked the Bangalore-Mysore Highway near Sri Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar Circle by forming a human chain. They raised slogans against Mr. Srinivas and burnt his effigy.
Apology sought
Later, they took out a procession to the Deputy Commissioner’s office. Congress activists demanded an “open and unconditional apology” from the JD(S) leader.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on the sidelines of a function in Bangalore, said Mr. Srinivas’s remarks reflect the “JD(S) culture”.
Anita apologises
The JD(S) candidate for the Mandya Lok Sabha constituency Anita Kumaraswamy has apologised for Mr. Srinivas’s remarks. This was after a group of people met her at Vandaluguppe in Channapatna taluk.
