Mangaluru: Former mayor K Ashraf, a former Congressman will be contesting the elections from the home turf of his former best friend UT Khader on a JD(S) ticket in an obvious tit-for-tat reply to a challenge posed by the three-time MLA from Ullal constituency.

Ridiculing Ashraf on an earlier occasion Khader had challenged him to face him in elections and had gone on to say that if required his party workers will pay Ashraf’s security deposit.

Speaking to media persons after filing the nominations, Ashraf who is confident about winning the elections said, “I have accepted Khader’s challenge and filed the nominations. My party workers and supporters pooled in the money required to pay the deposit today, and this is a fitting reply to the minister.”