Bengaluru: The JD (S) has given a nod to those deprived of tickets in the Congress and has fielded Muslim candidates in 15 constituencies, raising fears of division of votes in the Congress.
On the one hand, SDPI has given tickets to mostly Muslim candidates and on the other hand, JD (S) has also fielded Muslim candidates. The more votes they get, the harder it will be for Congress to win. There are interpretations that the vote split in the constituencies contested by Muslim candidates from JD (S) but it may also affect the result by hindering the victory of Congress candidates.
In Mangaluru North, Narasimharaja, Virajapete, Belthangady, Hebtala, Chikkapete, Khanapura, Humnabad, Kundagola, Kalaburagi North constituencies, JD (S) Muslim candidates are contesting against the Congress. In five constituencies out of 15 constituencies, JDS has fielded Muslim candidates against sitting Congress MLAs.
JD (S) has devised this strategy to break the magic number dream of Congress. In Humnabad, Congress’ Rajasekhara Patil has entered the fray whereas JD (S) State President C. M. Ibrahim’s son C. M. Faiz Khan is the JD (S) candidate. Similarly, in Mangalore North, Moiddeen Bawa, who was deprived of Congress ticket, was given JD (S) ticket, where Inayat is the Congress candidate.
Hazrat Ali Allasab is the JD (S) candidate against sitting MLA Kusuma Shivalli in Kundagola. Similarly, Naseer Hussain Ustad against Congress candidate Khaneez Fatima in Gulbarga North, JD (S) fielded Abdul Khader Shaheed against Tanveer Seth in Narasimharaja Constituency. In Hebbala Congress candidate Byrati Suresh and JD (S) candidate Moiddeen Altaf are contesting. Former MLA R. V. Devaraj is Congress candidate in Chikkapete while Imran Pasha is the JD (S) candidate. It is being heard that it may be a hindrance to the victory of Congress candidates.
In the meantime, the JD (S) has attracted and given tickets to the ticket-deprived strongmen in the Congress. It has attracted at least 20 percent of the workers and leaders of the Congress party. Anil Lad in Ballari, Malakareddy in Yadgiri, Raghu Achar in Chitradurga, Ghoklukar in Haliyala, Manohar Tehsildar in Hanagal, and Dr. Devaraj Patil in Bagalakote have entered the fray from JDS. In Shivamogga, Ayanur Manjunath, who went from BJP to JD (S), is joined by former MLA Prasannakumar, who was deprived of a ticket in the Congress, which is interpreted as making the path of Congress victory difficult. On the other hand, SDPI has fielded Muslim candidates in many constituencies including Narasimharaja, Pulakeshinagar and Sarvajnanagar, where Congress MLAs are contesting.
The other constituencies where SDPI Muslim candidates are contesting are Khanapur, Kalaburagi North, Humnabad, Rona, Kundagola, Sagar, Mangalore North, Byndoor, Kaup, Belthangady, Narasimharaja, Hebtala, Sarvajnanagar, and Chikkapete.