(Khader – Akram )
Apr 17, 2013(
MANGALORE: Like the 2008 assembly polls, the Mangalore assembly constituency will see a surfeit of minority candidates in the fray in a bid to see the back of sitting MLA UT Khader.
The 2008 polls saw as many as nine candidates, of which five including Khader were Muslims. They were Nazeer Ullal from JD(S), Abdul Hameed Ullal from BSP, J Muhammed and Abdul Khader both independents. While Khader secured 50,718 votes, the other Muslim candidates together could get only 4622, less than 10% of what Khader got.
This time around, as many as seven Muslim candidates have filed their nominations so far. They are Abdul Azeez (JD(S), Mohammed Akram from Social Democratic Part of India (SDPI), Kabeer Ullal, Mohammed Haneef, Mohammed Navaz, Bava Mohammed and Abdul Rahiman, all independents. Apart from this, BJP is fielding Chandrahas Ullal and Deepak Rajesh Coelho is contesting as an independent. Kabeer claims that as many as 15 Muslim are likely to file their nominations for the constituency.
Khader is aware of the situation. He said, “Like last time, in this elections too the voters will show whom they stand by. This was the same ploy employed by a national party which failed miserably as the voters saw through their design.”
He admitted that some of the Muslim candidates, who are planning to contest against him, have personal issues with him and the other parties are using it to their advantage. Khader asserts that he is not unduly worried and confident that voters in his constituency have seen his work and will surely vote for him.
Independent Kabeer Ullal, who filed his nomination on Monday said, “We don’t want Khader as our representative. He has done nothing for the people of Ullal.”
But will the split in votes help BJP? It does not matter whether we win or not. It also does not matter whether this will benefit BJP. We will see how the other party candidates will perform. In short, we don’t want Khader as we have seen his performance and he has disappointed us.”
DK district BJP president Padmanabha Kottari made light of the claims that his party is behind this move. He said, “During polls anybody can contest either from a party or as an independent. Being a national party, we do not employ such tactics against other candidates.”
(Stanley Pinto, TNN)
