The Awami League has given a 24-hour ultimatum to its rebel candidates in the upcoming municipality polls for the withdrawal of their candidature.
The ruling party policymakers issued the ultimatum from a meeting of party’s central leaders at the Gonobhaban with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
After the meeting, Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif told reporters: “The rebel candidates have been asked to withdraw their candidature within 24 hours. Otherwise they will have to face expulsion.”
Mentioning that the party high command is issuing letters to the rebel candidates asking them to withdraw nominations within 24 hours, he said: “Many of the rebels have already withdrawn their nominations, responding to our letters.”
“Stern action” will be taken against those, who will not show respect to the decision taken by the partypolicy makers, said Hanif. “We will send show cause notices to those, who will not withdraw their candidature during the time span, and ask them to explain within 24 hours.”
Asked whether the party nominated more than one candidates for any seat, he said: “Its a rumor. We have given nominations to 236 candidates and it is our final list.”
The ruling Awami League earlier expressed hope that all the 71 mayoral candidates, who had submitted nomination papers as independent candidates for mayoral posts of the municipality elections, would withdraw their nomination papers voluntarily before December 13, the last day for withdrawing nomination papers.
The party also threatened to expel leaders from the party if they contested the elections defying the party’s nominations.
The polls is scheduled to be held on December 30. As the municipal elections will partly be held along party line for the first time, more than half of 40 registered political parties are contesting the elections and nominated the candidates for mayoral posts.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
