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Puttur said the party was contesting where it has strong influence. “We are a party registered with the Election Commission and will field candidates in places where we have support,” he said when asked about the complaint from the anti-BJP opposition that the SDPI move would split minority votes. Puttur said the party would have to keep its cadres together and active during the elections.
The SDPI governs three panchayats in Ullal, has six members in the Ullal city municipal council and two corporators in Mangaluru city corporation, he said. The SDPI leader said the Congress was spreading the propaganda that the split in minority votes would help the BJP only in the coastal region, as they are influenced by the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) which is strong in the neighbouring state of Kerala. The Congress had become politically bankrupt, he alleged and said SDPI would always hold on to its principled position.
SDPI has fielded five candidates in Dakshina Kannada district including Shafi Bellare, an accused in the BJYM leader Praveen Nettaru murder case, from Puttur constituency. The party holds the view that c was framed in the murder case in which he had no role. In Mangaluru, SDPI has nominated its national secretary Riyaz Farangipete, while another secretary Elyaz Mohammed Thumbe has been fielded from Bantwal. Two former ministers from Congress, U T Khader and B Ramanath Rai, are contesting from these seats. Other candidates in Dakshina Kannada are Akbar Ali (Belthangady) and Alfonso Franko from Moodbidri.
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