Now rebel-backer MPs trouble AL

Before the Awami League could properly tame its rebel candidates in the municipal polls, the party now has a new headache: its lawmakers in some areas are backing the dissidents.

MPs in 10-12 municipalities are rallying behind the rebels putting the AL-backed mayor aspirants in a tight spot, which irks the party high-command.

BNP's mayor hopefuls, meanwhile, allege that they are facing pressure from their AL rivals to quit the race.

According to AL sources, the party initially had 75 rebel candidates but it has managed to dissuade 25 of them from contesting the December 30 polls.

With 50 dissidents still in the field, senior AL leaders Obaidul Quader, Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Dipu Moni, Abdur Razzak, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, Ahmed Hossain, Abdus Sobhan Golap and Asim Kumar Ukil yesterday held a day-long meeting at the party president's Dhanmondi office.

They called the MPs in question over the phone and tried to convince them to switch their support in favour of the AL-endorsed candidates, meeting sources said.

The AL thinks not all 50 rebels are threats to the party favourites; only 20-25 of them are.

They have decided to keep on persuading the dissidents to quit their mayoral bids until December 14 when the electoral symbols will be allocated.

If it does not work even after that, the AL will ask the rebel candidates to publicly announce their support for the party-nominated candidates, the meeting sources said.

If all these measures fail, disciplinary actions would be taken against the dissenters, the AL leaders agreed.

One of the areas where the ruling party is facing the double blow is Raozan municipality in Chittagong.

Debashish Palit got the party ticket but local lawmaker ABM Fazley Karim Chowdhury is backing rebel candidate Saiful Islam Rana, son of upazila AL President Shafiqul Islam Baby who is known as being loyal to the MP.

Similarly, in Dewanganj municipality under Jamalpur district, local MP Abul Kalam Azad is working for rebel aspirant and incumbent mayor Nurunnabi Apu instead of AL favourite Shahnewaj Sahenshah.

In Jaldhaka municipality of Nilphamari, rebel contender Ilias Hossain Bablu, also the incumbent mayor, is getting the support of local lawmaker Golam Mostofa. Abdul Wahed Bahadur has got the AL ticket to vie for the mayor post.

AL-backed candidate Munshi Nasir Uddin n Jibannagar municipality of Chuadanga too is in a tight spot as local MP Ali Asgar is backing rebel contender Jahangir Alam.

In Kalkini municipality of Madaripur, Enayet Hossain is the AL favourite but former lawmaker and minister Syed Abul Hossain, who enjoys substantial influence in the area, has taken rebel candidate Mosiur Rahman under his aegis.

BNP CANDIDATES 'UNDER PRESSURE'

The Daily Star correspondents yesterday talked to 12 BNP mayoral aspirants in as many municipalities and they alleged that they were under "massive pressure" to withdraw from the elections.

Abdullah Al Hasan in Raozan municipality of Chittagong said a panicky situation has been created in his area by the ruling party men so that the BNP candidates cannot participate in the elections.

"Our activists who will work for me during the polls cannot enter Raozan fearing arrests or attacks by the Awami League men," said Abdullah, member secretary of BNP's Chittagong (North) District unit.

Shanaz Akhter, BNP's mayoral candidate in Laksam municipality of Comilla, made the same allegation.

A BNP activist working for her came under attack by the AL men on Sunday, alleged Shanaz, the lone female mayor candidate endorsed by the BNP.

She is the wife of Humayun Kabir Parvez, a victim of "forced disappearance".

BNP-backed Motiur Rahmanin Bakerganj municipality of Barisal alleged that the ruling party activists were gathering "a huge number of outsiders" in the area to create panic and fear among his supporters.

Meanwhile, a BNP delegation led by Abdul Moyeen Khan yesterday met Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad and submitted a set of allegations to him.

"No one except the ruling party men could submit nomination papers in Feni. Dozens of ruling party men have already been elected unopposed there," the BNP standing committee member told journalists after the meeting.

Over 3,000 leaders and activists of the BNP were arrested in the last one month, he alleged.

"If BNP men cannot stay home or move freely, and law enforcers intimidate them, who would electioneer for the party candidates?"

The BNP leader demanded that the Election Commission take steps to hold the municipal polls in a fair manner.

Later, the CEC told the media that the commission would take necessary actions, if any candidate faced any obstructions or difficulties in taking part in the polls.