Team News Riveting
Kochi, April 2
A candidate contesting the state poll in Kerala is making an attempt to convert his voters’ craze for football into votes.
Setting aside the common poll planks like jobs, housing, development and even hikes in welfare pensions, Kattupparuthy Sulaiman Haji, the Left Democratic Front-backed independent candidate in Kondotty of Malappuram district has something unique to offer to his voters. There is a mad craze for football in his constituency and Kattupparuthy Sulaiman Haji did not wish to miss the goal post.
He has promised to start a football tournament in the constituency if he wins and then take the winners of the tournament to the 2022 FIFA World Cup scheduled to be held in Qatar. Sulaiman Haji has included it in the personal manifesto drafted for the constituency and distributed it in Kondotty recently. He says that if he wins the election, he will conduct a football tournament for football clubs in the constituency for the ‘MLA Trophy’ and the winners will be taken to Qatar.
Recently in an interview with the news channel Reporter Live, Sulaiman Haji reiterated his poll promise. “I have been living abroad for the past 30 years and I have many contacts in many countries including Qatar and there is no doubt that I can fulfil this promise,” Sulaiman Haji said.
Kondotty is the sitting seat of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which is part of the Congress-led United Democratic Front. Since 1977, the constituency has been a stronghold of IUML. Sitting MLA TV Ibrahim is re-contesting from the constituency.
With the constituency heading for an interesting contest, experts feel, the ardent love for football could be a game changer.
