“I was never defeated, it was the defeat for the symbol boat as I was contesting for the symbol of the Awami League”, said, the elderly AL leader of Harinakundu Upazila in Jhenaidah Mansur Ali Mandal when the media activists asked him about the defeat of him in the fourth phase union parishad polls.
Mansur said, the party leaders ran a conspiracy against the party symbol boat which was a direct violation of party policy codes. The leaders in union and upazila level have worked for the rebel candidate Raqibul Hasan Rasel, son of ex chairman of Raghunathpur UP Abdul Kader Master in the upazila when Rasel failed to bag the party symbol boat.
Mandsur Ali said, “I am p now as I spent money from the sale proceeds of my 138 decimals of land including house premises for the honour of the Prime Minister Seikh Hasina, also the daughter of my political leader Bangabandhu Seikh Muzibur Rahman. I shall have to pay another Taka four lakh spent for the elections”, he said.
He had to face at least 56 cases in the court as between 2001 and 2006 as he is a bonafide Awami Leaguer in the area, the AL candidate said.
According to Mansur Ali, with the party symbol boat, he secured 3,655 votes, while, Rasel with his symbol pineapple bagged 6,063 votes in the UP elections on May 7 last.
When contacted Harinakundu upazila AL convenor Mashuir Rahman Joarder said, some of the party leaders were mainly liable for the defeat of party candidate Mansur Ali Mandal that was shame.
Harinakundu Upazila Awami League president Matiar Rahman when contacted over cellular phone ,said, he was admitted at Harinakundu upazila health complex with some physical complications. He said, some of the party leaders and influential activists played role against the party symbol boat during the UP polls held on May 7. The party candidate have lost his property including his house premises to uphold the dignity of the Prime Minster as Mansur is the veteran AL man in the upapzila, upazila unit AL president said.
