The Awami League (AL) is in the process of finalising the campaigning strategies for its candidate Selina Hayat Ivy in the Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) election slated for December 22.
The AL general secretary has held several meetings with Ivy and other Narayanganj district unit leaders at party president Sheikh Hasina’s Dhanmondi political office in the city. In the meetings, AL central leaders discussed the election campaigning strategies and the organisational condition in Narayanganj.
Ivy, who is also the sitting mayor, put forward her campaigning strategies before the central leaders, who noted those down for Hasina’s approval.
“AL joint general secretary Dipu Moni noted down Ivy’s plans for NCC polls, which will be put forward to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina within a day or two,” Sujit Roy Nandi, relief and social welfare affairs secretary of the AL, told this correspondent yesterday.
The ruling party is making elaborate preparations for election campaigns in favour of Ivy in a bid to snatch absolute victory in the NCC polls.
According to the party’s plans, women members of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) are preparing to carry out election campaigns in favour of Ivy in the NCC polls.
Party general secretary Obadidul Quader yesterday held a closed-door meeting with woman members of BCL— especially those who live in Narayanganj and study in Dhaka University and others varsities in Dhaka. Quader directed them to go door to door in Narayanganj after December 5 and seek blessings and votes for Ivy.
Nusrat Jahan, a BCL leader who attended the meeting, told this correspondent that their party high-ups will form 27 committees comprising female members for 27 wards of Narayanganj city. “And then, we will carry out door-to-door election campaigns for Ivy,” she said.
Earlier, the AL general secretary held a meeting with alliance leaders. He asked them to work together for the AL candidate in the NCC poll.
But Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) general secretary Shirin Akhter reportedly told the AL general secretary that they have nominated their party candidate for the Narayanganj mayoral race. So, they cannot campaign in Ivy’s favour. Quader requested the JSD leader to withdraw their party candidate and work for Ivy, meeting sources said.
Last week, AL higher-ups formed two teams, one led by its organising secretary Enamul Haque Shamim and another led by cultural affairs secretary Ashim Kumar Ukil. The teams are supposed to monitor local body election activities from the centre.
However, the party higher-ups are still worried about the differences between Ivy and veteran district AL leader Shamim Osman. Party insiders said there is a longstanding dispute between the two families. So, the party high-ups will monitor and give necessary support to ensure Ivy’s victory in the poll.
However, Osman has said that he would join the election campaign in Ivy’s favour. But the latter said that though it would be good to have Shamim by her side, it would be even better if he played a “silent role” in the election.
Last week, Hasina had held a meeting with Ivy and Osman at her official residence in Gono Bhaban. She had directed Osman and other Narayanganj district leaders to obey the party’s instructions and back Ivy if they wanted to work with AL.
Over 4.79 lakh people are expected to cast their votes in the polls to elect the city mayor, 27 ward councillors, and nine women councillors for the reserved seats.
The maiden election to the NCC was held on October 30, 2011, when Ivy won the race, defeating Osman, who was then the AL candidate.