Delwar loyalists working as renegades in Manikganj-2
Followers of BNP secretary general Khondaker Delwar Hossain are working for independent candidate in Manikganj-2 Engineer Mainul Islam Khan Shanta instead of party nominee Afroza Khan Rita, party sources claimed.
Senior district and upazila BNP leaders, who are known as Delwar loyalists, are conducting the election of independent candidate Shanta, party sources said. They are however doing it covertly, by holding secret meetings with grass roots party workers and through mobile phones.
Earlier, supporters of Shanta had locked the party office in Singair on nomination filling day and hoisted black flag atop the party office demanding party ticket to Engineer Mainul Islam Khan Shanta.
Afroza Khan Rita, daughter of Haruner Rashid Khan Monno, got party nomination. Failing to get party nomination, former BNP MP and president of Singair upazila BNP Engineer Mainul Islam Khan Shanta, submitted his nomination paper as independent candidate. He is son of late minister Samsul Islam Khan Noya Mia.
Manikganj BNP is divided into two groups. One group is led by BNP secretary general Khondaker Delwar Hossain and the other by industrialist Haruner Rashid Khan Monno.
When contacted, some front ranking leaders said Begum Khaleda Zia's decision nominating Rita is wrong.
There are three constituencies in Manikganj now against four earlier following delimitation.
Manikgani-2 (Manikganj-4 earlier) now comprise Singair upazila and three unions of Manikganj Sadar upazila. Shanta was elected from this constituency (Manikganj-4 earlier) in a by-election in April, 2005 after death of his father former industries Samsul Islam Khan Noya Mia.
Afroza Khan Rita, managing director of Monno group of industries and daughter of former BNP MP and industrialist Haruner Rashid Khan Monno, got 4-party nomination in January, 2006 planned election (which was not held) from Manikganj-2.
Shanta will face Awami League candidate Dewan Shafiul Arefin Tutul, who ran second in 2001 polls with 60,445 votes.
Former national footballer Tutul is AL central youth and sports affairs secretary.
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