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| Bangladesh |
| BNP struggles to contain conflicts |
| 2010-12-25 |
| [Bangla Daily Star] Jamaat-e-Islami has demanded its ally BNP leave them more than 30 municipalities to go into the next month's polls while the main opposition thinks its own candidates will do better in those seats. BNP staggers to the new crisis when it is still busy resolving internal conflicts in more than 100 constituencies over selecting candidates. Talking to The Daily Star, a number of influential leaders of BNP termed Jamaat's demand impractical. "I heard they [Jamaat] claimed a municipality in my area too, but I won't compromise as we have to win the polls," said Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu, a former deputy minister, yesterday. During a meeting with BNP leaders on Wednesday, Jamaat placed a list of candidates for more than 30 municipalities. Jamaat leaders, however, refused to make any comment. BNP insiders said the central and divisional leaders already finalised mayoral candidates for at least 150 municipalities. The polls will be held on January 12, 13, 17 and 18 in more than 250 of 310 municipalities. Dulu also said their candidates for 52 municipalities under Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions had been finalised. Party Joint Secretary General Mohammad Shahjahan, who was assigned to pick candidates in seven municipalities in Noakhali and Comilla regions, said they have prepared the list of candidates for the seats except Begumganj municipality. Party insiders said the central leaders are facing difficulties to select candidates for the municipalities in many districts including Chittagong, Faridpur, Rajbari, Bogra, Sherpur, Gaibandha and Mymensingh. Jamaat wanted mayoral candidates in a number of municipalities under Rajshahi, Gaibandha, Chapainawabganj, Dinajpur and Nilphamari districts. Party Senior Joint Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, also a member of the party's central monitoring committee for the polls, said candidates for the rest of the municipalities would be finalised in no time. |
| Posted by:Fred |