Showering baskets full of flowers on actors and greeting them with huge garlands have been common sights in Mandya over the past three weeks.
Mandya Lok Sabha constituency has been witnessing at least four major rallies almost every day, besides nearly two dozen smaller rallies by local leaders. Independent candidate Sumalatha, actors Yash and Darshan, and Janata Dal (S) candidate K. Nikhil are continuously holding roadshows with hundreds of supporters. Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, Ambareesh’s son Abhishek, and MLAs are also conducting roadshows.
In spite of soaring flower prices, fans and party workers are competing to honour them with garlands and are showering quintals of flower petals on them, spending a pretty penny daily. While orders are placed regularly for huge garlands in Bengaluru, flower petals are sourced from Mandya and Mysuru.
The garlands, which normally weigh between 300 kg and 600 kg, are lifted using hydraulic cranes. Last week, Anitha Kumaraswamy, MLA, was honoured with a rose garland weighing about 300 kg in K.R. Pet.
Fans shower a large quantity of flowers on Ms. Sumalatha almost daily, said a Congress leader who has been accompanying her since March 10. ‘Market’ Raju, of K.R. Market in Bengaluru, has been accompanying the former actor for days and arranging huge garlands for her. Ms. Sumalatha receives at least 300 garlands of various sizes daily from fans of her late husband Ambareesh, Congress and Karnataka Raitha Sangha leaders, and some local JD(S) workers.