Mangalore, March 24: The state unit of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has decided to field the party’s district vice-president Haneef Khan Kodaje as the party candidate for Lok Sabha elections from Dakshina Kannada constituency, said SDPI state general secretary Abdul Latheef.

Addressing a press conference in the city on Monday, he said that after the pre-poll alliance with state Janata Dal (Secular) party, it was decided that SDPI would field their candidate Haneef Khan from Dakshina Kannada. In the rest of the constituencies, SDPI and its members will offer full-fledged support to JD(S) candidates in Karnataka, he said.
He said that the JD(S)-SDPI alliance would provide the people of Karnataka an alternative from Congress and BJP parties which were both involved in corruption at the state and the Centre and communal activities in the district. While on one side, the BJP is misusing the media to spread false agenda of development on behalf Narendra Modi, the Congress on the other hand, is indulging in making assurances only for publicity. Even after communal unrest in the district, the ruling Congress party or its ministers have failed to provide an able governance, he said, adding that people of the state were looking for an alternative to the two national parties.

He said that the JD(S)-SDPI alliance was confident of winning about 10-12 seats in the state.
“Our candidate Haneef Khan, who hails from B C Road, will file his nomination papers at the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Tuesday. Prior to filing his nomination, a rally will be undertaken from Ambedkar Circle to DC office. A district convention of the party will be held at Town Hall after filing the nomination,” he said.
The SDPI has fielded a total of 30 candidates in various constituencies across the country, including 20 candidates in Kerala