<i>History beckons Ivy</i>
Thirty-seven years ago, Selina Hayat Ivy's father Ali Ahmed Chunka won the Narayanganj municipal election and became the first chairman there without the then ruling Awami League's support.
The ruling party declined to back Chunka, who refused to withdraw and contested the polls as an independent candidate, senior citizens in the area told The Daily Star yesterday.
Khoka Mohiuddin, who was picked by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, suffered a heavy defeat, coming third in the race.
When Chunka went to meet Bangabandhu after winning the election, elderly locals say they still remember Bangabandhu patting Chunka on the back and telling him: “I knew you would win.”
Thirty-seven years after that “win”, the ruling AL has given its support to Shamim Osman for the Narayanganj City Corporation polls due on October 30.
Ivy, vice-president of the Narayanganj city unit AL, is taking part in the polls without party support. She, too, had expected her party to support her.
“It's a strange repetition of history,” says Moinuddin, an elderly guard in the city's Chashara area. “Ivy's father was very popular among the poor. Ivy is no different.”
He said unlike other candidates, Ivy is very close to the downtrodden sections of society. “Narayanganj is going to see a silent revolution if elections are held properly.”
Meanwhile, the decision by the AL leadership to support Shamim, who faces five cases, including for murder and theft, has made little impact on the party's district and city leaders.
A number of them on condition of anonymity said they were still divided over which of the two candidates to support.
SM Akram, a former AL lawmaker, said the decision of the party's top leadership would not change things, as those who were working with Ivy before the party gave its backing to Shamim were still with her.
Akram, also convener of the district AL, said before making a final decision, the central leaders should have taken his opinion. “Though the local AL is split over supporting Ivy and Osman, Ivy is very popular among the general people. At the end of the day, it is they who will vote.”
He said the AL's flip-flopping over choosing a candidate will cost the party dearly. “Three days ago, Hanif said the party didn't support anyone. Now he is giving another opinion, which will harm the party's credibility,” he told The Daily Star yesterday.
Anwar Hossain, president of the city AL, said voters had already made up their minds as to who they mean to vote for. That is why the party decision will not make any difference.
However, Khokon Saha, general secretary of Narayanganj city AL, said: “Disciplinary action will be taken against Anwar for supporting Ivy.”
Apart from Anwar, no other leaders of the party are with Ivy, he claimed.
Narayanganj district AL member Chandan Shil said all but four to five out of 52 leaders in the city's 27 wards were working for Shamim.
“Thirty-seven business organisations and other organisations like Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee are backing Shamim Osman,” added Shil, himself a supporter of Shamim.
In another development, Shamim Osman yesterday asked Ivy to work for him.
“I can't believe that she's not working with us,” Shamim said.
Ivy, who is very much in the race, said: “There is no scope for party nomination at local government elections. And I'm not merely any party's candidate; I'm a people's candidate.”
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