Mangaluru : Vittala Malekudiya, who is facing charges of being a Maoist sympathiser, filed his nomination at Naravi Gram Panchayat on Saturday to contest the election from Kutlur constituency under the panchayat which is in Belthangady taluk.

He, along with the workers of Communist Party of India (Marxist), filed the nomination at about 11.45 p.m. He is a postgraduate degree holder in Mass Communication and Journalism.

An alumnus of Mangalore University, he along with his father Lingappa Malekudiya, had been arrested by the police on March 3, 2012 from their house in Belthangady taluk on the charge of having links with Maoists.

He had been released later. Mr. Vittala completed his post-graduation in 2013-14, after the release.

The police filed the charge sheet on January 30, 2015. The court has held its first hearing of the charges.

He is presently the president of Belthangady taluk unit of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI).

Mr. Vittala (25) told The Hindu over phone that he is contesting the election for the development of his village, Kutlur, which has around 700 voters.

He said that the government’s allegations about him being a Maoism sympathiser was not true. “Maoists do not believe in elections. I don’t support them,” he said.

Mr. Vittala said that politics was responsible for many changes. By entering into politics he wants to bring a positive change in his village.

Muneer Katipalla, president, State unit of the DYFI was present.