Ministers rally behind AL men
Four cabinet members and an adviser with the status of a minister had a meeting with leaders of Awami League's city unit to discuss strategies to clinch victory for the AL-backed mayoral candidates in two Dhaka city corporations.
The electoral code of conduct, however, doesn't permit any minister to take part in electoral activities or campaigns for a candidate.
"If any minister holds a meeting for a candidate, it is a violation of the electoral code of conduct," Election Commissioner Abdul Mobarak told The Daily Star.
When his attention was drawn to yesterday's meeting, Mobarak said he knew nothing about it.
Talking to this correspondent, ex-election commissioner M Sakhawat Hussein said, "It is an absolute violation of the code of conduct."
Contacted, Food Minister Qamrul Islam, who attended the meeting at the AL chief's Dhanmondi office, said there was no violation of the code of conduct, as they didn't campaign for party-backed aspirants.
Qamrul, joint general secretary of city AL, said they held a party meeting and discussed the city polls. "It is definitely not a violation of the electoral code of conduct."
AL Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif said the meeting focused on the polls in Dhaka South City Corporation.
When told that the code of conduct prohibits ministers from participating in electoral activities, Hanif said he joined the meeting late and didn't see any minister there.
Qamrul said the meeting was attended by, among others, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Health Minister Mohammad Nasim, Prime Minister's Political Adviser HT Imam, Disaster Management Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and PM's Special Assistant Abdus Sobhan Golap, who enjoys the status of a secretary.
MA Aziz, acting president of city AL, and Sayeed Khokon, AL-backed mayoral candidate in Dhaka South, were also present.
Qamrul said they discussed the party's plan and strategies to clinch victory for the party-backed mayoral candidate.
Sources said the AL leaders also talked on the issue of picking a single candidate in each ward in the two Dhaka city corporations. The party would finalise the names of aspirants by April 9, the last date for withdrawing candidature.
City AL leaders Maya and Qamrul gave assurance that they would work for Khokon.
Earlier, both of them were against lending party support to Khokon, and were in favour of backing independent lawmaker Haji Mohammad Salim in the city polls, added the sources.
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