The first jolt came when its Gangavathi MLA Iqbal Ansari did not file the nominations for Koppal LS constituency on the last day and announced the party 's support to secular forces.
A triangular contest was expected in Uttara Kannada as Mr. Naik too was considered a force to reckon with.
Mr. Naik said that the former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Sorab MLA Madhu Bangarappa, who brought him to the party offering ticket, did not fulfil the promise of bearing the election expenditure. “I cannot spend from my pocket, putting my family in peril,” he said.
Reacting to the withdrawal, Mr. Kumaraswamy said, “Fifty per cent of the promise had been fulfilled and he was committed to keep up his promise. Mr. Naik should reveal the real reason behind the withdrawal. If he was unable to contest the polls, he should have told the party before filing the papers.”
However, Mr. Naik said, “From the beginning, I was reluctant to contest as I did not have my own resources. Still, I got pamphlets and other poll material ready on my own. I was in Bangalore before filing the papers, and I told the party leaders to look for another candidate if they are unable to bear the election expenditure. After filing the papers, neither Mr. Kumaraswamy nor Mr. Madhu accepted my telephone calls. I had also told the leaders that I would be forced to withdraw the nomination if they do not keep up their promise.”
Asked whether this would create a void in the constituency, Mr. Naik said it was solely due to the party leadership. “Ten minutes before the withdrawal deadline, party national president H.D. Deve Gowda called me, urging me not to withdraw. But I had already made up my mind.” Mr. Naik withdrew the papers at 2.50 p.m. on Saturday.
On the allegations that the withdrawal was influenced ' by one of the candidates in the fray, Mr. Naik said people in the constituency know his ethical standards. “I 'll not stoop to such a low level,” he said.
It was said that Naik would give a tough fight to the two national parties. He reportedly has a good following among Muslim voters.
Naik had lost the last Assembly elections from the Bhatkal seat, contesting on a KJP ticket. He had later quit the party to join the JD(S). It is said that a huge amount of money has changed hands, with the involvement of a senior politician from the district, in getting Naik to exit from the fray.
There is also talk that the JD(S) candidate 's withdrawal from the fray is a quid pro quo action for the Congress ' tacit support to JD(S) candidate Geetha Shivrajkumar in the Shimoga constituency.
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