Local leaders of ruling party Awami League aspiring to contest in the coming municipal polls, due in December, are alone in the foray with BNP and other parties still remaining on the sideline. Posters, festoons and billboards with pictures of AL aspirants and words of greetings and pledges for development are seen everywhere in the Lalmonirhat municipal area. Leader of local units of BNP, Jatiya Party, Jamat-e-Islami and other political parties say they have not yet received any signal from central leaders about participation in the election.  However, likely candidates from deferent political parties have already started personal contacts and lobbying with high-ups for nomination. In lalmonirhat municipality there are six possible candidates from ruling AL for the mayoral post. They are Advocate Ashraf Hosen Badal,  joint secretary of District AL, Mofazzal Hossain president and Kazi Nazrul Islam secretary of AL municipality unit, councilor and panel mayor S.M.Wahidul Hasan Sena and Rejaul Karim Shawpan of Jubo League. Sitting mayor Reajul Islam Rintu is also trying to confirm his nomination for the second time from the ruling AL. Humayun Aktar Shimul, son of late mayor Abdus Sobahan have been campaigning for a long time. Mosharraf Hossain Rana, ex-mayor, is also in the race. Once he was elected with support from BNP, but later, he was expelled from BNP. He is now trying to get support from BNP or Jatiya Party. Hafizur Rahman Babla, general secretary of district BNP co1ntested in last mayoral election and was defeated by AL-backed incumbent mayor Abdul Halim. The municipality was run by AL-backed mayor for 20 years. BNP and Jatiya Party backed-candidate got elected only once.
More than one hundreds councilors will contest in nine wards from various political parties. There are 41,962 voters in the municipality.  But the voters allege that the present mayor has failed to fulfill the minimum civic facilities for the residents during the tenure of last five years. Most roads and drains are in vulnerable condition. Residents of many areas have expressed their dissatisfaction over water lodging in their areas.