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Sunamganj by-polls

AL, JP begin warm-up campaign

25 May 2009, 18:00 PM

NATIONAL

Iqbal Siddiquee, Sylhet

Although the grand alliance partners are yet to finalise their candidate for the Sunamganj-4 byelection, both AL and JP leaders have started informal campaign in favour of their party men. However, the June 15 election is likely to witness a major contest only between the AL and the BNP runners, voters observed. Civil aviation minister GM Quader joined a programme inaugurating a private hospital in Biswambharpur upazila Friday afternoon. Although he did not speak anything about election there, district JP chief former lawmaker and party's aspirant Abdul Majid was there. The next day, JP presidium member Kazi Zafar Ahmed, while addressing a workers' rally in favour of Abdul Majid, said the grand alliance would leave the seat to JP like in the December 29 polls. Earlier, at several rallies Zafar urged people to work for JP man's victory in the bypolls. The AL leaders and activists have launched a similar campaign for district AL President Matiur Rahman. Although there exists a long-standing intra-party rivalry, the leaders from both factions last week joined campaign for Matiur. Acting general secretary Nurul Huda Mukut and former general secretary Ayub Bakht Zaglu along with some district leaders met the party chief and prime minister Thursday last to inform about their campaign in favour of the party candidate. Matiur Rahman told The Daily Star that he was a candidate in the December 29 polls. "The seat was sacrificed for JP because of the grand alliance that time. But this time it is ours", he said. Sources said the grand alliance would finally be forced to support the AL man to face the BNP's former JS whip Fazlul Haque Aspia. The seat, comprising Sunamganj Sadar and Biswambharpur upazilas, fell vacant following the death of Momtaj Iqbal on April 17 last. District JP chief Momtaj, as a grand alliance candidate defeated Aspia in December 29 polls. Momtaz joined politics after the death of her husband Major (retired) Iqbal Hossain Chowdhury of JP. There are still five candidates in the race for Sunamganj-4 bypolls although nomination papers of two aspirants were cancelled during scrutiny. Tomorrow is the date of withdrawal for nomination papers.