Mangaluru: The first batch of holy Haj pilgrims leaving from Mangaluru International Airport through Haj Committee of India has got flagged off today. State Haj and Wakf Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan flagged off the first batch at the Bajpe Ansar School Hall.

Udupi District Federation Khazi PM Ibrahim Musliyar Bekal offered prayers.

The chief guest Urban Development and Housing Minister UT Khader, Mangaluru Haj Management Committee President Y. Mohammed Kunhi, Legislative Council member BM Farook, former MLA BA Moidin Bawa, Haj Committee Member Abubakar Siddique Montugoli, Chairman of the Central Committee Mohammad Masood, former police chief GA BAVA, DK Chairman of District Wakf Advisory Council Kanchur Monu, Former President Haji SM Rasheed Haji, Former President Ibrahim Kodijal, Businessman Haji Zakaria Bajpe, Secretary of Haj and Wakf Mohammed Mohsin, Mangalore Taluk Panchayat President Muhammad Monu and others were present.

Haj Committee Executive Officer Sarfraz Khan Sardar welcomed the gathering.

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Bengaluru (PTI): Leader of Opposition BJP in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka said the results of the bypolls in Davanagere South and Bagalkote assembly constituencies will decide the future of the ruling Congress in the state.

The bypolls were necessitated following the demise of sitting Congress MLAs Shamanur Shivashankarappa and H Y Meti, who represented Davanagere South and Bagalkote constituencies respectively.

The ruling Congress has fielded Shamanur Shivashankarappa’s grandson and Karnataka Minister S S Mallikarjun’s son Samarth Shamanur in Davanagere South and Umesh Meti in Bagalkote, who are locked in a direct contest with BJP candidates T Dasakariyappa and Veerabhadrayya Charantimath.

According to Ashoka, there is a contest between the poor and the rich in the upcoming bypolls, scheduled on April 9.

"The Congress will lose this election, and the future of the state will be decided. Since Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said ‘Make the poor win’, the BJP has fielded poor candidates,” the BJP leader said in a press conference.

In Davanagere, the BJP has given a ticket to an ordinary person, whereas Congress has given tickets to powerful and influential people. In Bagalkote, there is a very good opinion about the BJP candidate, he claimed.

According to him, the Congress has given space to dynastic politics in both places. Therefore, the BJP has a strong chance of winning in both constituencies.

The LoP said if the Congress candidate wins in Davanagere, it is understood that Muslims will not get opportunities in the future, and therefore, Muslims are opposing the Congress party.

He also charged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who talks about uniting backward classes, has not given a ticket to backward class candidates.