Incumbent Congress MP, Ramya, may face rivals from her colleagues in the Kannada film industry.
Karnataka's high-profile Mandya constituency may witness an epic battle with leading Kannada actors likely to be in the fray in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls, dye by May.
While the BJP is planning to rope in Kannada star Upendra to take on actress-turned-India's youngest woman MP, Ramya, in the southern Karnataka constituency, another actress, Rakshita, is reported to be trying hard for a Janata Dal (Secular) ticket, making the contest an action-packed thriller.
Sources in the BJP have confirmed that the party is in talks with Upendra to cash in on the mass appeal of the 'real star', as he is called by his fans. In an exclusive interview to NDTV, the Kannada actor said, "Yes, I am interested. I have that hope. I have that belief that I can do something through if I come to politics. Let us see what happens."
Ramya, 30, won the seat in August last year in a by-poll, defeating her Janata Dal (Secular) rival, C Putturaju, by more than 50,000 votes. The Congress is likely to field her again.
"Besides the development work, I do believe my star power has and will add to votes. Because when I meet these women, the love they show makes me feel so happy. They told me they will vote for Congress because of me," said the MP from Mandya, dominated by the Vokkaligas, the second most powerful caste group in Karnataka, after the Lingayats.
The Janata Dal (Secular), which had dominated the seat so far, has not confirmed Rakshita's candidature yet with the party reported to be looking for a "winning candidate".