On the last day of public campaigning in Mandya, incumbent MP Sumalatha Ambareesh, who recently joined BJP, was absent from HD Kumaraswamy’s campaign trail, despite previous commitments. Actor Darshan, who supported Sumalatha’s independent candidacy in 2019, has now endorsed Star Chandru, the Congress candidate in Mandya. Kumaraswamy dismissed Sumalatha’s absence and criticized Congress for mocking his emotional display, while JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda downplayed her non-cooperation. However, district in-charge minister N Cheluvarayaswamy questioned Kumaraswamy’s contributions to Mandya, citing the unresolved Cauvery crisis as an example.