AL MPs eager to involve in electioneering

Municipal polls

Apparently frustrated over the Election Commission (EC) rules prohibiting the lawmakers from campaigning in the upcoming municipality election, the ruling party MPs have started campaigns behind the scene for their preferred mayoral candidates.
The AL central leaders held a series of meetings at party President Sheikh Hasina’s Dhanmondi political office to find ways and means on how to involve the MPs in the polls campaign indirectly for their party-backed candidates.
In one of such meetings on Tuesday, the AL presidium member and road, transport and bridges minister, Obaidul Quader, exchanged views with the party’s joint general secretaries and organizing secretaries on how they could contribute to elections campaigns in favour of AL mayoral aspirants.
The meeting sources said AL lawmakers and senior leaders would camp at the respective divisions during the electioneering period. Ruling party MPs will campaign for their party-backed candidates indirectly. They would give necessary instructions to the party’s grassroots-level leaders and provide logistic support to the AL candidates in a bid to ensure their victory.
Talking to The Independent yesterday, several AL leaders described the Election Commission's decision as unfair, discriminatory and against the spirit of the election. They said the EC’s decision was not fair. If a former Prime Minister (Khaleda Zia) can campaign, why can’t they, AL leaders wondered. Earlier, the AL submitted proposals to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), seeking a change in the electoral code so that lawmakers could campaign for mayoral aspirants, but the demand was rejected.

talking to the reporters on the same day, AL presidium member and the health minister, Mohammad Nasim, said that the decision to keep lawmakers out of electioneering was not correct. The decision will not ensure a level playing field for all, particularly the AL, he added.
“A former Prime Minister and lawmakers are allowed to participate in electioneering, but the sitting lawmakers as well as national leaders cannot do so. It is discriminatory,” he had said.
When contacted, AL organising secretary Mishbah Uddin Siraj said: “Yes, we will conduct campaign for party- backed mayoral candidates as per the electoral code of conduct. Party high-ups have asked us to stay in our respective divisions for campaigning.”
A rebel candidate of the AL told The Independent that ruling party lawmakers have already started electioneering in favour of party-backed candidates.
Abul Basar Chowkdar, an AL rebel mayoral candidate for Vedorganj Municipality, said: “Our party’s local lawmaker has started campaigning for party-backed candidates. He has held several meetings and plans to campaign against me, which is a violation of the electoral code of conduct.”
Meanwhile, according to the media reports, the EC has shirked its responsibility to caution the two ministers for violating electoral codes to the returning officer although the commission itself had warned three MPs for the same reason.
Earlier, On December 7, violating the electoral code of conduct, information minister Hasanul Haq Inu and religious affairs minister Matiur Rahman took part in the electioneering in Fulpur municipality of Mymensingh district.
After the incident, in a letter on Thursday, the EC asked the returning officer concerned and also the Fulpur Upazila Nirbahi officer to take necessary actions against the ministers.
EC officials said, the commission does not want to embarrass the ministers by issuing warning letters by itself to them and it will henceforth issue any warning letters to none.

AL MPs eager to involve in electioneering

Municipal polls

Apparently frustrated over the Election Commission (EC) rules prohibiting the lawmakers from campaigning in the upcoming municipality election, the ruling party MPs have started campaigns behind the scene for their preferred mayoral candidates. The AL central leaders held a series of meetings at party President Sheikh Hasinas Dhanmondi political office to find ways and means on how to involve the MPs in the polls campaign indirectly for their party-backed candidates. In one of such meetings on Tuesday, the AL presidium member and road, transport and bridges minister, Obaidul Quader, exchanged views with the partys joint general secretaries and organizing secretaries on how they could contribute to elections campaigns in favour of AL mayoral aspirants. The meeting sources said AL lawmakers and senior leaders would camp at the respective divisions during the electioneering period. Ruling party MPs will campaign for their party-backed candidates indirectly. They would give necessary instructions to the partys grassroots-level leaders and provide logistic support to the AL candidates in a bid to ensure their victory. Talking to The Independent yesterday, several AL leaders described the Election Commissions decision as unfair, discriminatory and against the spirit of the election. They said the ECs decision was not fair. If a former Prime Minister (Khaleda Zia) can campaign, why cant they, AL leaders wondered. Earlier, the AL submitted proposals to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), seeking a change in the electoral code so that lawmakers could campaign for mayoral aspirants, but the demand was rejected. talking to the reporters on the same day, AL presidium member and the health minister, Mohammad Nasim, said that the decision to keep lawmakers out of electioneering was not correct. The decision will not ensure a level playing field for all, particularly the AL, he added. A former Prime Minister and lawmakers are allowed to participate in electioneering, but the sitting lawmakers as well as national leaders cannot do so. It is discriminatory, he had said. When contacted, AL organising secretary Mishbah Uddin Siraj said: Yes, we will conduct campaign for party- backed mayoral candidates as per the electoral code of conduct. Party high-ups have asked us to stay in our respective divisions for campaigning. A rebel candidate of the AL told The Independent that ruling party lawmakers have already started electioneering in favour of party-backed candidates. Abul Basar Chowkdar, an AL rebel mayoral candidate for Vedorganj Municipality, said: Our partys local lawmaker has started campaigning for party-backed candidates. He has held several meetings and plans to campaign against me, which is a violation of the electoral code of conduct. Meanwhile, according to the media reports, the EC has shirked its responsibility to caution the two ministers for violating electoral codes to the returning officer although the commission itself had warned three MPs for the same reason. Earlier, On December 7, violating the electoral code of conduct, information minister Hasanul Haq Inu and religious affairs minister Matiur Rahman took part in the electioneering in Fulpur municipality of Mymensingh district. After the incident, in a letter on Thursday, the EC asked the returning officer concerned and also the Fulpur Upazila Nirbahi officer to take necessary actions against the ministers. EC officials said, the commission does not want to embarrass the ministers by issuing warning letters by itself to them and it will henceforth issue any warning letters to none.