Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said the party does not believe in dirty politics and that the AL-led government has no hand in staying the mayoral by-poll to Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).

“Why do you find a hand of the government in everything? We have already nominated our mayoral candidate for contesting the DNCC by-poll. We have even finalised our party candidates for councillor posts,” he replied to a question from a reporter at a news briefing.

His attention was drawn to the allegation raised by the BNP that the AL government made it happen.

The news conference was organised to announce the names of AL candidates for councillor posts at Sheikh Hasina’s Dhanmandi political office yesterday (Wednesday). Asked whether it would be wise to hold the mayoral by-polls ahead of the national elections, Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said: “It is a matter for the Election Commission. As the court stayed the polls, we have nothing to say on the issue.” Long before the DNCC election schedule was announced, there were rumours that the polls might not be held on the scheduled date.

Meanwhile, the AL-nominated mayoral candidate for the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) by-election, businessperson Atiqul Islam, has said that he will now prepare his election strategy in a different way, as the High Court (HC) stayed the polls for three months. “As the HC has stayed the elections, I will not make any comment on the issue. But I will prepare my strategy for the future DNCC polls as I have already been nominated by the AL as its mayoral candidate,” he said.

The mayoral hopeful spoke to The Independent hours after the HC stayed for three months DNCC polls, including the by-election for the mayoral post. “The AL has nominated me as its candidate—it is my great achievement. Now I am a proud worker of the AL. From now on, I will work as per the direction of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” he said.