Udupi Bypoll: Young Candidate Asadulla Katpady Attempts to Turn the Tide
By Inchara - Udupi
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (RD)
Udupi, Mar 5: A young man who toiled in a canteen in the court complex and earned a degree in law despite acute poverty, he now aspires to become a people’s representative.
He is none other than Asadulla Katpady, son of the late Mohammed Ali. Asadulla has already submitted his nomination papers as an independent candidate for the forthcoming Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha bypoll. He is the youngest of all the candidates contesting from different political parties.
Asadulla has done BA and LLB and practices as a lawyer, but is more into journalism.
“I am contesting the elections with the objective of seeking prominence for youth in politics,” says Asadulla, who is contesting as an independent candidate out of his own free will, without giving into the assurances of political parties.
He has bagged prizes in sports and elocution in his college days. He has been taking up cases of human rights violation since the past three years. It’s significant that he was in the news for filing a public interest litigation (PIL) at High Court over environmental destruction caused by a fishmeal factory in the locality of Udyavar, near here.
Asadulla completed his studies the hard way, having to earn and finance his own education from primary school to law college. He worked as a newspaper vendor, did odd jobs to support his studies and while working in the court canteen, he completed his law.
"The general notion is that only the wealthy with political clout can contest the polls. I am in the poll fray to prove that even an ordinary citizen can contest," says Asadulla.
"Major political parties have proved to be corrupt, and their candidates arrive at the doorsteps of voters only during poll campaign. I hope the youth get due prominence in state politics as they account for 60 percent of total population,” says Asadulla.
Whether Asadulla's charm and freshness attracts the young voters would be known only after the bypoll results. Nevertheless, it is heartening that while most young men and women without political backgrounds choose to stay away from politics, Asadulla has taken it up in a bid to make a difference.