Although BNP is yet to announce its candidate for the by-polls to Dhaka North City corporation mayoral post, its key alliance partner Jamaat leader Selim Uddin has already started mass contact as an aspirant to vie for the post.
BNP senior leaders said their party may announce Taibth Awal as its candidate on Saturday night after a meeting of the party policymakers.
However, Selim Uddin, Jamaat Dhaka north city unit president, said his party has already given him nomination to contest the polls.
Talking to UNB over phone, he said, “I’ll collect nomination paper on Sunday from the returning officer’s office. The voters of the Dhaka North City Corporation think the alliance leader (Khaleda) will finally nominate me as the 20-party alliance candidate.”
Asked whether he will be there in the race if he is not given the nomination by the alliance, the Jamaat leader said he is hopeful about getting nomination. “I’ll accept whatever decision my party takes.”
He said he has already carried out campaigns in Uttara, Gulshan, Banani, Badda and Mohammapur areas. “Our leaders and activists are also working for us.”
Earlier on Monday night, the BNP chief had a meeting with top leaders of her party-led 20-party alliance.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the alliance leaders at the meeting assured Khaleda Zia of extending their support to the BNP candidate she will nominate to contest the by-election.He also said their party standing committee member will finalise the candidate for the by-polls on Saturday night. A faction of Labour Party, an alliance partner of the 20-party alliance, also nominated its candidate for the by-election. Mostafizur Rahman Iran, president of the faction of the Labour Party, said their party’s Dhaka north unit president SM Yusuf Ali will collect nomination paper to contest the by-polls.
Contacted, Taibth Awal said he has all-out preparation to contest the polls if BNP nominates him.
