It's a conspiracy in UP polls: BNP

BNP yesterday alleged that the Election Commission was trying to reduce the number of law enforcers in the polling centres to facilitate rigging by the ruling party men in the upcoming Union Parishad elections.

"We came to know that the Election Commission is planning to reduce the number of law enforcers and even it is relaxing the directives. It is clear why it is going to do so," said Rizvi Ahmed, joint secretary general of the party.

He said the party did not have candidates in 114 UPs as they election officials cancelled their candidacy on "lame excuses" and in some areas the aspirants faced obstacles and threats while submitting nomination papers.   

Addressing a briefing at its Nayapaltan headquarters, Rizvi said in the last municipality polls the law enforcers got strong directives to take action if the situation went out of control but this time it had decided not to give any strong directive to the law enforcers.           

The meaning of all these is to ensure the victory of the ruling party chairman candidates, said Rizvi.

In the UP elections held before 2011, some 20 law enforcers, including police and Ansar, were deployed in each polling centre.

On Thursday, EC officials told The Daily Star that some 15 Ansar members were deployed in each station in previous elections, but the number had been reduced to 12 since 2012.

According to this, the number of law enforcers will be 17 for each general centre and 19 for vulnerable one.

Meanwhile, BNP chairperson's adviser Khandaker Mahbub Hossain at a discussion alleged that conducting the UP polls was a conspiracy because the government wanted to show the world the Awami Leaguer won a large number of chairman posts.

He warned that the consequences would not be good for the government if votes were rigged.