Awami League's district unit Organising Secretary Sirajul Islam said: "MP Russell and Jahangir had asked their supporters to vote for 'television' symbol of Mannan (the BNP-picked candidate MA Mannan).
Both Russell and Jahangir, however, denied the allegation.
A former leader of Awami League's student affiliate Bangladesh Chhatra League, Jahangir was initially in the mayoral race but later stepped aside following intervention by the party.
Mannan won the elections by a margin of more than 100,000 votes.
Azmat's defeat even in the polling centres in Tongi municipal area and Gachha union, two strongholds of Awami League, has surprised the party followers.
Sirajul Islam, a former Chairman of Gachha union council, said: "The only reason of the defeat is internal feud of the party. All the supporters of Russell and Jahangir voted for Mannan."
"They voted for Mannan in all the areas. Otherwise, Azmat Ullah would have secured 100,000 votes more than what Mannan has got."
Awami League won all elections in Gachha union in last three decades while Azmat secured victory in Tongi municipal Chairman polls for three terms in a row. Awami League also won the last three parliamentary elections in the areas.
Both Russell and Jahangir, however, denied the allegation.
A former leader of Awami League's student affiliate Bangladesh Chhatra League, Jahangir was initially in the mayoral race but later stepped aside following intervention by the party.
Mannan won the elections by a margin of more than 100,000 votes.
Azmat's defeat even in the polling centres in Tongi municipal area and Gachha union, two strongholds of Awami League, has surprised the party followers.
Sirajul Islam, a former Chairman of Gachha union council, said: "The only reason of the defeat is internal feud of the party. All the supporters of Russell and Jahangir voted for Mannan."
"They voted for Mannan in all the areas. Otherwise, Azmat Ullah would have secured 100,000 votes more than what Mannan has got."
Awami League won all elections in Gachha union in last three decades while Azmat secured victory in Tongi municipal Chairman polls for three terms in a row. Awami League also won the last three parliamentary elections in the areas.
Azmat, who ran the election with 'inkpot-pen' symbol, faced debacle in 100 centres out of 133 in Tongi and 41 out of 46 in Gachha.
When Russell's attention was drawn to the allegation by Siraj, he said: "Where did he (Azmat) get many votes? He got fewer number of votes in areas under other MPs than he did in my area. Why the allegation is only against Russell?"
"Nobody can say that the MP asked them not to vote (for Azmat) or vote for other candidates. I worked so hard (for Azmat). Even then I have to hear this complaint."
Jahangir said: "Those who were supposed to vote for me included party leaders and activists, my friends and supporters of other parties."
"Though I worked for someone, they might have not the same feeling. They're not my employees that they would follow my instruction," he said.
Gazipur municipal unit Awami League President Waz Uddin Miah told bdnews24.com: "The main reason of (Azmat's) defeat is that the party was unorganised. Had the party been organised, Awami League would not have been defeated."
__._,_.___
