Nalin files papers, says will begin third round of campaign

Party workers greeting Nalin Kumar Kateel at the inauguration of the BJP election office at Bunts Hostel Circle in Mangalore on Thursday. Photo: H.S. Manjunath

The BJP’s nominee for Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha constituency Nalin Kumar Kateel and the Nationalist Congress Party’s nominee for the constituency Suprith Kumar Poojary submitted their nominations paper for the April 17 elections here on Thursday.

Mr. Nalin, 48, who submitted his papers at 11.30 a.m. to Returning Officer A.B. Ibrahim, was accompanied by Prathapsimha Nayak, president, Dakshina Kannada unit of the party, K. Monappa Bhandary, MLC, S. Angara, MLA and A. Rukmayya Poojary, chairman of the party’s campaign committee and former MLA,

The party has fielded Mr. Nalin from the constituency for the second time. In the 2009 elections he beat B. Janardhana Poojary of the Congress by a margin of 40,420 votes.

A party leader said that Mr. Nalin was yet to submit the B form, which will recognise him as the candidate of the BJP. It would be submitted before March 26, the last day for filing nominations. The party would field A. Rukmayya Poojary as its dummy candidate.

Speaking to presspersons after submitting his papers, Mr. Nalin said that he had completed two rounds of campaign in the constituency. In the first round he met booth-level party workers and in the second round he met the workers by organising “samaveshas” (party conferences) at different places.

The Member of Parliament said that this election was between the BJP and the Congress. He would seek votes on the basis of good work done by the previous National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the country, by the last BJP government in the State and by him in the constituency. Mr. Nalin claimed that the party workers were actively involved in the campaign and were eager to get him elected.

The NCP candidate said that he was yet to submit the B form and the affidavit. Mr. Suprith, 38, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election for the first time, said he was a social worker.

He contested the Assembly election from Mangalore North constituency in 2013 as the NCP candidate. He contested the Assembly election from the same constituency in 2008 on a JD (U) ticket.

Mr. Suprith said that he was contesting the election as people of the constituency have been deprived of many infrastructure facilities. Those who have been elected from the constituency so far were rich, he said and alleged that they were pro-capitalists. He was contesting to work for the poor, Mr. Suprith said.