JOIN USThe Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) is intensely campaigning in six of the 18 wards it is contesting for the BBMP polls this year.
Abdul Majeed, State president, SDPI, said that they have fielded a very limited number of candidates in the wards where the party has worked over the years. Some of the wards include Thanisandra, Nagawara, Manorayanapalya and Padarayanapura.
Majeed, who is in-charge of campaigning in Thanisandra, said, “We have worked from last six years at the ground-level in the select wards. The party is registered but not recognised. The symbol for our candidates is the autorickshaw.”
The SDPI has representatives in the Mangaluru city corporation, certain gram panchayats in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. It has two corporators in the Mysuru city corporation, according Majeed.
Least developed ward
The Thanisandra ward, which had a JD (S) corporator, is the least developed among the 198 wards, added. “This is despite the BJP running the council for five years and the Congress MLA Krishna Byre Gowda representing Byatarayanapura, under which the ward falls. Even the MP belongs to the BJP,” he pointed out.
Asked whether the votes of minorities would be split among the Congress, JD(S), SDPI and AIMIM, Majeed said, “This could happen. Even the BJP has fielded candidates belonging to the minority. But AIMIM has no network in the City.
Suddenly it has come from nowhere to contest the polls. Some youngsters may get carried away by listening to emotional speeches of leaders of AIMIM. But it may not help winning seats.”