[ALOCHONA] Nomination discords still trouble AL, BNP

City Corporation Polls

Nomination discords still trouble AL, BNP

Last day of candidacy withdrawal today

Courtesy Daily Star 13/7/08  Hasan Jahid Tusher

 

Internal tussles over nomination for mayoral candidates in city corporation polls still trouble the Awami League (AL) and BNP although the deadline to withdraw nominations ends today.

There is at least one candidate from both AL-led 14-party and BNP-led four-party for the four city corporation polls scheduled for August 4. However, the BNP-led four-party alliance has formally boycotted the polls while AL-led 14-party combine has announced their candidates.

The AL-led coalition has unanimously nominated Talukder Abdul Khaleque for Khulna City Corporation (KCC), Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran for Sylhet City Corporation (SCC), Shawkat Hossain Hiron for Barisal City Corporation (BCC) and Fazle Hossain Badsha for Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC).

The 14-party combine now has two other candidates from the alliance running in the RCC polls, one in the KCC polls, two in BCC polls and four in SCC polls while four-party has one candidate in KCC polls, four in RCC polls, two in BCC polls and three in SCC polls.

The AL-led combine is facing severe crisis in Rajshahi as AL central leader and Rajshahi city AL General Secretary AHM Khairuzzaman Liton vowed to contest the polls. Besides, Badsha and Liton, Rajshahi city AL President Maksudul Haque Dulu is also willing to contest.

AL presidium, the party's highest policymaking body, sits today at acting AL President Zillur Rahman's Gulshan residence to discuss ways to settle the Rajshahi tussle. The presidium members may talk to party chief Sheikh Hasina over phone and review the decision on RCC mayoral candidate, insiders say.

Organising Secretary Abdul Mannan who is responsible for looking after party politics in Khulna and Barisal divisions told The Daily Star that he is hopeful that the candidates would withdraw their candidacy today.

Another Organising Secretary Akhtaruzzaman, in-charge of AL Rajshahi division, said he is hopeful about a solution to the disputes.

Organising secretary in-charge of AL Sylhet division Abdur Rahman also expressed the hope that the candidates would withdraw their candidacy and work for the candidate endorsed by the 14-party combine.

RAJSHAHI
Workers Party politburo member Fazle Hossain Badsha got the 14-party endorsement although other components of the combine are united to support Liton, reports our RU Correspondent.

Rajshahi unit of 14-party combine yesterday demanded that the party high-ups nominate Liton as mayoral candidate instead of Badsha.

At a press conference, the local 14-party leaders said the high-ups nominated Badsha without discussing the matter with them. They said the 14-party coalition of Rajshahi would continue their support to Liton.

Leaders of National Awami Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Gono Forum, Ganotantri Party and Samyabadi Dal were present at the press conference.

There are still four mayoral candidates from BNP in Rajshahi. They are BNP leader and acting RCC Mayor Rejaunnabi Dudu, former district BNP general secretary Enamul Haque, former lawmaker Jahan Panna and city Jubo Dal President Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul.

Among the four, Panna may withdraw her candidacy today. The other three are determined to contest the polls. Sources say local BNP-led four-party coalition might support either Dudu or Bulbul.

Meantime, pro-BNP civil society members of Rajshahi yesterday formed a 51-member Rajshahi Unnayan Forum to support Enamul.

SYLHET
14-party coalition has five candidates while four-party alliance has three candidates in the SCC mayoral race.

Even though 14-party formally endorsed detained SCC Mayor Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, AL leaders Inamul Haque Chowdhury Bir Pratik and Babrul Hossain Babul are determined to contest the election. They said they would not withdraw their candidacy.

City AL Secretary Misbah Uddin Siraj and district AL Vice-president Abduj Jahir Chowdhury Sufian told The Daily Star that they would withdraw their candidacy today.

Neither local BNP nor four-party coalition held any meeting so far about who would run for mayor from their camp.

Former district BNP president MA Haque, defeated by Kamran in the first SCC polls in 2003, and BNP leader AFM Kamal, running in this election under the banner of Sammilita Nagorik Committee, said they would not withdraw their candidacy.

City BNP General Secretary Nasim Hossain said he would withdraw his candidacy if central BNP asked him to do so.

BARISAL
Former mayor and former city BNP president Ahsan Habib Kamal and President of Barisal Chamber of Commerce and Industries and former district BNP general secretary Ebadul Haque Chan are determined to contest the BCC polls to become mayor.

The 14-party endorsed the candidacy of Barisal City AL Convenor Shawkat Hossain Hiron.

AL leader Mahmudul Haque Khan Mamun and AL's ally Gono Forum leader Enayet Pir Khan are still in the race for mayor in BCC elections and they are determined to compete.

AL leader Alamgir Hossain Khan Alo withdrew his candidacy yesterday.

KHULNA
AL leader Enayet Ali is determined to run for mayor in KCC elections under the banner of Nagorik Forum even though the 14-party endorsed AL leader Talukder Abdul Khaleque.

Despite the four-party combine's decision to boycott the polls, acting KCC mayor and senior member of city BNP convening committee Moniruzzaman Moni is determined to run for KCC mayor ignoring threats of party disciplinary actions against him from both BNP factions.

---

__._,_.___

[Disclaimer: ALOCHONA Management is not liable for information contained in this message. The author takes full responsibility.]
To unsubscribe/subscribe, send request to alochona-owner@egroups.com

Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___