fallstuff
ELITE MEMBER
- Nov 20, 2009
- 9,442
- 0
- Country
- Location
AL surprised at BNP's gain
Results show extremely close fight for mayoral posts in 4 divisions; 2nd phase starts Jan 17
Results of the just-concluded municipal polls in four divisions indicate BNP is regaining its grassroots strength two years after the drubbing in the parliamentary election.
The ruling Awami League, on the other hand, had a rude awakening in the first phase of the staggered municipal polls.
The AL top brass reckon it was embarrassing to see how internal feuds and weakness at the grassroots level had cost their party dearly in the elections so far.
They were also surprised at the way the opposition-backed mayoral candidates succeeded despite their share of intra-party conflict and rebels [See our separate stories].
Though non-partisan in nature, the election saw both the parties pick their favourites, as they consider it to be a test of their strength and popularity.
With the polls over in Rajshahi, Rangpur, Khulna and Barisal divisions, AL and BNP now gear up for the rest 122 municipalities in Dhaka, Sylhet and Chittagong divisions that go to the polls on Monday and Tuesday.
Out of 121 mayoral posts in the four divisions, AL-backed candidates won 40 and BNP 47. The rebel candidates from AL bagged 13 and BNP six.
The results reflect a fierce battle of ballots between the two parties.
The ruling party-backed candidates did worst in Rajshahi and Rangpur. They won only 18 out of 72 mayoral posts in those two divisions. AL top brass put the poor performance down to the party's tough stance against rebel candidates.
We expect to fare better in the remaining three divisions. We have urged all our rebels to work for the party-backed candidates, AL Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif told The Daily Star yesterday.
In its evaluation of the polls outcome so far, the party acknowledges its performance had been much below expectations.
Hanif, also special assistant to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said they are now working hard towards a better show in the remaining three divisions.
He added the organisation will expel those who would work against the party-endorsed candidates.
AL presidium member Obaidul Quader said they would do a comprehensive analysis of the polls in the municipalities where their candidates have suffered defeat.
Running of more than one party candidate for a post and interventions of some party leaders led to debacle in some municipalities, he observed.
Meanwhile, the main opposition is trying to keep up the good performance of its candidates in the remaining three divisions.
The party will take action against its rebel candidates, BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan told The Daily Star yesterday.
Referring to AL-backed candidates' debacle in Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions, BNP leaders said the people of north Bengal have shown the AL-led government a yellow card through the polls for its misrule and failures while a red card awaits the ruling party.
AL President Sheikh Hasina on Thursday directed her party colleagues to take stern action against its rebel candidates.
The party might expel its rebel candidates, who worked against the party-backed candidates for mayoral posts in the last week's polls. The party rebels, who won in the south, are likely to suffer the same fate.
A number of AL leaders said party rebels who would not pull out of the race will face action.
Opposition leaders believe the election results will boost the confidence of the party's grassroots leaders, who got demoralised at the debacle in the 2008 parliamentary election. The results will also invigorate them before the election to more than 4,000 union parishads in March-April.
BNP won 193 seats in 2001 parliamentary elections but secured only 29 in the last parliamentary polls, the party's worst show in the last three decades. On the other hand, AL in the last national election got 234 seats, the highest since the 1973 parliamentary election.
The January 22 upazila parishad election was also dominated by AL-backed candidates, who won about 80 percent of the posts of UP chairman
AL-backed candidates secured all four mayoral posts in Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet city corporation polls in August, 2008 just before the parliamentary election.
Things began to change in the Chittagong City Corporation election held in June, 2008. BNP-backed mayoral candidate won the election defeating the AL-supported candidate by a large margin of vote.
link:
AL surprised at BNP's gain
Results show extremely close fight for mayoral posts in 4 divisions; 2nd phase starts Jan 17
Results of the just-concluded municipal polls in four divisions indicate BNP is regaining its grassroots strength two years after the drubbing in the parliamentary election.
The ruling Awami League, on the other hand, had a rude awakening in the first phase of the staggered municipal polls.
The AL top brass reckon it was embarrassing to see how internal feuds and weakness at the grassroots level had cost their party dearly in the elections so far.
They were also surprised at the way the opposition-backed mayoral candidates succeeded despite their share of intra-party conflict and rebels [See our separate stories].
Though non-partisan in nature, the election saw both the parties pick their favourites, as they consider it to be a test of their strength and popularity.
With the polls over in Rajshahi, Rangpur, Khulna and Barisal divisions, AL and BNP now gear up for the rest 122 municipalities in Dhaka, Sylhet and Chittagong divisions that go to the polls on Monday and Tuesday.
Out of 121 mayoral posts in the four divisions, AL-backed candidates won 40 and BNP 47. The rebel candidates from AL bagged 13 and BNP six.
The results reflect a fierce battle of ballots between the two parties.
The ruling party-backed candidates did worst in Rajshahi and Rangpur. They won only 18 out of 72 mayoral posts in those two divisions. AL top brass put the poor performance down to the party's tough stance against rebel candidates.
We expect to fare better in the remaining three divisions. We have urged all our rebels to work for the party-backed candidates, AL Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif told The Daily Star yesterday.
In its evaluation of the polls outcome so far, the party acknowledges its performance had been much below expectations.
Hanif, also special assistant to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said they are now working hard towards a better show in the remaining three divisions.
He added the organisation will expel those who would work against the party-endorsed candidates.
AL presidium member Obaidul Quader said they would do a comprehensive analysis of the polls in the municipalities where their candidates have suffered defeat.
Running of more than one party candidate for a post and interventions of some party leaders led to debacle in some municipalities, he observed.
Meanwhile, the main opposition is trying to keep up the good performance of its candidates in the remaining three divisions.
The party will take action against its rebel candidates, BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan told The Daily Star yesterday.
Referring to AL-backed candidates' debacle in Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions, BNP leaders said the people of north Bengal have shown the AL-led government a yellow card through the polls for its misrule and failures while a red card awaits the ruling party.
AL President Sheikh Hasina on Thursday directed her party colleagues to take stern action against its rebel candidates.
The party might expel its rebel candidates, who worked against the party-backed candidates for mayoral posts in the last week's polls. The party rebels, who won in the south, are likely to suffer the same fate.
A number of AL leaders said party rebels who would not pull out of the race will face action.
Opposition leaders believe the election results will boost the confidence of the party's grassroots leaders, who got demoralised at the debacle in the 2008 parliamentary election. The results will also invigorate them before the election to more than 4,000 union parishads in March-April.
BNP won 193 seats in 2001 parliamentary elections but secured only 29 in the last parliamentary polls, the party's worst show in the last three decades. On the other hand, AL in the last national election got 234 seats, the highest since the 1973 parliamentary election.
The January 22 upazila parishad election was also dominated by AL-backed candidates, who won about 80 percent of the posts of UP chairman
AL-backed candidates secured all four mayoral posts in Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet city corporation polls in August, 2008 just before the parliamentary election.
Things began to change in the Chittagong City Corporation election held in June, 2008. BNP-backed mayoral candidate won the election defeating the AL-supported candidate by a large margin of vote.
link:
AL surprised at BNP's gain
