Sudarshan,Sadiq make a joint appeal: Elect honest people

Kalbe Sadiq said: “In the elections,a Muslim voter should vote for a Hindu candidate if he is better than any Muslim

candidate. Similarly,a Hindu should vote for a Muslim candidate if he is honest.”

Both leader denied they discussed the 2012 Assembly elections. “Maulana Kalbe Sadiq was willing to meet me so I came here today. There was no discussion about the next Assembly elections,” said Sudarshan.

The former RSS chief talked of reforms in the election process. “The election of a candidate should be held null and void if he fails to get more than 50 per cent of the total votes polled. In that situation,fresh polling should be organised for the first and runner-up candidate.”

Regarding UP Chief Minister Mayawati’s demand for Muslim quota,Sudarshan said,“Any party making such demand is doing it only to secure the Muslim vote-bank.”

Sudarshan said reservation should not be on the basis of caste or religion but on the basis of financial status. “Poor Brahmins and Kshatriyas should also be given reservation,” said Sudarshan. His meeting with the Shia cleric is seen in the context of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s efforts to reach out to Muslim voters.