Karnataka polls 2018: When religion and politics make for a heady cocktail

Bhatkal, with a population of 100,000 - 70% of that Muslim thrives on religion; this also happens to be the birthplace of Yasin Bhatkal, a Navayath who has been convicted in several bomb blast cases

When Mankal Vaidya, the sitting Congress member of legislative Assembly (MLA) from Honnavar-Bhatkal in Uttara Kanara on the Karnataka coast, was re-named the party candidate for the constituency, the first thing he did was writing to the local socio-political body Majlis-e-Islah-o-Tanzeem for support. Vaidya told local reporters: “I have already written to the body seeking its support in the upcoming election, and I am waiting for their response.”

The support of Majlis-e-Islah-o-Tanzeem plays an important role in the Bhatkal-Honnavar constituency, where Muslim bodies come together under the umbrella organisation and vote according to its instructions.

Also approaching Majlis-e-Islah-o-Tanzeem is Inayathullah