Shreyas H S
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore

Mangalore, Apr 3: Though Harsha Moily’s doors to enter the fray in this Lok Sabha election were closed even before Congress held primary election to decide its candidate from Dakshina Kannada constituency, highly placed sources from within the Congress revealed to daijiworld that Moily is banking on SDPI candidate, Mohammad Haneef Khan's ability to split the Muslim votes, and thus spoil the chances of his political nemesis B Janardhan Poojary.

Harsha Moily and Haneef Khan

Sources, while speaking to daijiworld on condition of anonymity, disclosed that Harsha Moily had become desperate and frustrated after he was shunted out of contention. In what could be termed as ‘political vengeance’, Moily has, it is said, been making a determined bid to defeat his rival by whatever means possible. 

Speaking further on the short-lived political battle of Harsha Moily, sources explained that he had resorted to tactics of escapism with media persons at a press meet convened a day after the rejection of his nomination. He had told the press persons that he would camp in Dakshina Kannada district to actively take part in the electioneering process for the one who emerges as victorious candidate in the primary elections. However, he has distanced himself from the campaign after Poojary was officially announced as party candidate from the district, thus going back on his word, sources claim.

It is said that Moily has been banking on Haneef to tame his political opponent in the election. "Haneef was chosen as a scapegoat by Moily in a bid to spoil the chances of Congress candidate, and brighten his own image for the future. In the recent outbursts of Haneef, it could be clearly observed that he has been vociferously targeting the Congress party, though the SDPI was built on secular principles," a source said.

When daijiworld contacted Haneef for his clarification on the allegations levelled against him by a section of the people in the political arena, he rubbished these allegations, saying “I am targeting the Congress party in the district for its failure to achieve allround development across the country. They have exploited the Muslim community to the maximum. People from the community are disillusioned at the lackadaisical performance of the Congress regime during the last ten long years."

Adding to this he reasoned that making ill-founded allegations has been quite common during the time of elections and that this will in no way deter him from continuing to target Congress party in the district.

When quizzed why his voice remains very subdued while targeting BJP, he sought to defend himself by claiming, "We are targeting BJP also, we have been asking questions frequently about Prabhakar Bhat and have also filed cases against him. It is the Congress party which has softened its stand on the issue of taking on Bhat through strong legal measures, and this has been the root cause for the environment of communal hatred prevailing in the district."