Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (MM) – pics – Dayanand Kukkaje

Mangalore, May 15: Abubakkar Natekal, JD (S) candidate for the Ullal by-election filed nomination here on Tuesday May 15 after noon.

Abubakkar Natekal arrived at deputy commissioner’s office at about 1 pm with hundreds of supporters. He filed nomination before Krishnamurthy, election commissioner for the Ullal by-election. Only 5 members were allowed inside the election officer’s office while filing the nomination.

Bound to Secularism:

“JD (S) has fielded a candidate from the minority community for the Ullal by-election.  This clearly indicates that the party is still bound to the principles of secularism,” said Y S V Dutta, spokesperson of JD (S).

He was speaking at a press conference after the filing of nomination by Abubakkar Natekal for Ullal by-election by JD (S).

When JD (S)-Congress coalition government was at the helm of administration in the state, the party had fought many elections against Congress and it did not result in any dispute. Hence, Ullal by-election would not result in any dispute or clash between JD (S) and BJP just because both have fielded their own candidates, he opined.

“The party was busy with fielding candidates for Goa assembly election. JD (S) will field 19 candidates there because, the people migrated from Karnataka have responded positively towards the party. Hence, JD (S) was not serious about Ullal by-election till May 14,” he said.

Candidate has been fielded in Ullal by-election to keep alive the enthusiasm of party workers. Now there are positive signs regarding the victory of JD (S) candidate, he added.

JD (S) district president Balaraj Rai, former minister Amarnath Shetty, ZP member K P Sucharita Shetty and others were present at the press meet.