MUNICIPAL POLLS : AL to reward rebels to keep them off race

The ruing Awami League has changed its strategy and decided not to expel but to reward otherwise its rebels to convince them not to contest municipal polls against the party nominated mayoral candidates.
The ruling party has also cancelled its decision to send central leaders to the municipalities to persuade the rebel candidates to refrain from contesting the December 30 elections to 234 municipal councils to avoid violation of electoral code of conducts.
Party leaders said that central AL leaders were asked to summon the rebel candidates to the party chief’s Dhanmondi office and offer them rewards including better positions in the party to restrain them from contesting the polls.
The party deicide not to engage local lawmakers to settle the issue locally as holding meeting with the rebel candidates at the concerned municipals areas might be considered as a violation of electoral code of conduct, they said.
As per the code, lawmakers are barred from joining any sort of electioneering in the municipal polls.
The Election Commission on Sunday issued show-cause notices to three Awami League lawmakers Safiqul Islam Shimul ((Natore-2), MA Malek (Dhaka-20) and Shawkat Hasnur Rahman (Barguna-2) on allegations of violation of code of conduct.
AL joint general secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak told New Age Monday that they were summoning the rebel candidates to the party’s Dhanmondi office and requesting them to withdraw their candidature.
‘We had more than one party candidate in 71 municipalities, but we could already convince some of the rebel candidates from contesting the elections,’ he said.
He said that the party would take action against the rebels who would contest the polls.
He said that the party would extend support to some of the rebels where the nominations of party nominated candidates were cancelled.
The nominations of three AL candidates – Rafiqul Islam Kotwal for Shariatpur, Humaiyun Kabir Bacchu for Damudya in Shariatpur and Abu Sayeed for Sribardi in Sherpur – were cancelled in scrutiny.

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