MYSURU: A year after she lost Lok Sabha polls from Mandya, actress and former MP Ramya returned to the fertile district which has witnessed a wave of suicides by farmers to offer condolences to the kin of those who ended their because they were in distress and in debt, on Tuesday.
She visited the families of Shivalingegowda in Honnayakanahalli, Mahesh in Panakanahalli in Mandya taluk, Shivanna in Saadolalu in Maddur taluk, and Ningegowda in Gaanada Hosur in Pandavapura taluk.
She offered ex-gratia to each family but declined to disclose how much she gave each family. “I am deeply hurt by the fact that so many farmers have committed suicide in this district in two months,” she remarked after consoling the kin of these farmers.
At the end of her day-long visit, she said she would meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and brief him on problems faced by farmers in a constituency which she represented for a year.
She explained to the media that she could not tour the district earlier because she had sustained an injury on her left foot and was advised three months rest by doctors.
Her visit to Mandya has triggered speculation that the actress-politician would use the issue of suicides by farmers to network with the people of constituency. She stayed away from Mandya after losing to JD(S) candidate C.S. Puttaraju by 5, 518 votes in Lok Sabha elections held last year.
