Udupi, Sept.1: Udupi city municipal that holds historical importance has no Muslim candidate in upcoming local body election.

The three major political parties haven't named a single Muslim candidate in any ward.

Udupi which has taluk board in 1935 had philanthropist Haji Abdullah Udupi as its president. Even today during city municipal general meetings, municipal president sit on the chair that was once used by Haji Abdullah. His chair is of historical importance.

There are 35 wards in Udupi city municipal. Both congress and BJP has fielded their candidates in all these wards. JDS has nominated candidates for nine wards. But there is not a single Muslim candidate.

Congress has nominated six Christian candidates. Harmis Noronha (Moodabettu), Babita Kola (Malpe Central), Selina Karkada (Muduperampalli), Irine Menezes (Gopalapur), Ranold Pravin Kumar (Ambalpady) and Hilary Jathanna (Indiranagar).

Indiranagar, Karamballi and Vadabhandeshwara wards have the highest Muslim population. But congress has opted to Shekhar Kotian in Vadabhandeshwara (reserved-general) and Yadava Karkera in Karamballi (backward class A). Though the party had the opportunity to field Muslim candidates here, it didn't find a winning candidate from the community.

Even JDS has not fielded a single Muslim candidate. Earlier, JDS had said that it will give ticket to Arif Karamballi in Gundibail ward. But Arif had clearly said that he is a BJP worker and will not fight election under JDS flag. BJP has given ticket to Edwin Karkada in Malpe central. There is no Muslim candidate from BJP too.

Congress had not given ticket to single Muslim candidate even in 2014 Udupi city municipal election. 22 congress candidates emerged victorious in the election and for the first time the party had grabbed the power in Udupi.

As there was Congress government in the state during that time Hasan Ajjarkad was nominated as the member of Udupi city municipal.



Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Budapest/Washington: US Vice President J D Vance has said that Lebanon was never included in the ceasefire understanding with Iran, describing the confusion as a “legitimate misunderstanding”.

Speaking to reporters before departing from Hungary, Vance said, “I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon and it just didn’t. We never made that promise.”

He stressed that the United States had not included Lebanon in the scope of the ceasefire at any stage.

His remarks come amid continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon, where more than 200 people were reported killed, even as ceasefire talks between Iran and the US move forward.

Vance said Israel had “offered … to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon because they want to make sure that our negotiation is successful”.

He warned that if Iran allows the situation in Lebanon to affect the negotiations, it could derail the talks.

“If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart in a conflict where they were getting hammered over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that’s ultimately their choice,” he said.