MANGALURU: JDS candidate for Mangaluru seat Altaf Kumpala on Monday alleged that some Congress workers forced him to withdraw his nomination papers after kidnapping him.
Addressing reporters here, Altaf alleged that he was picked up by supporters of Congress candidate UT Khader.
“As I was leaving a local mosque after offering namaz last Friday, Congress workers Mustafa and Usman kidnapped me and made me sign papers. I have not withdrawn my papers but was forced to do so. I have urged the Mangaluru police to provide protection to me and my family. I have written to the EC to allow me to contest. But my application has been rejected,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sadashiva Ullal, Ullal Block Congress president, refuted the allegations of JDS and said no Congress worker abducted or threatened Altaf to withdraw his papers.
“It is an attempt to tarnish the image of Khader. The persons whom Altaf accused of kidnapping him are his childhood friends. After keeping quiet for two days, he is now making baseless allegations. Denial of tickets to some seniors led to bickering in JDS and Altaf withdrew papers after reaching a pact,” he said.