The New Nation - Internet Edition

Chittagong Correspondent

Majority of Awami League (AL) leaders at Patiya Constituency expressed their dissatisfaction over candidates' selection in the vital constituency of southern Chittagong.

The AL leaders who had long been working in Patiya have already disowned selected candidate - Shamsul Haque Chowdhury and drew AL chief Sheikh Hasina's attention to the constituency for picking up better candidate.

Shamsul Haque Chowdhury has been selected as AL candidate by dropping three relatively fit and experienced leaders making many of the Awami League supporters frustrated.

Though Shamsul Haque Chowdhury formally started election campaign after submitting nomination paper, most of the leaders and workers of Upazila AL and its front organisations kept them away from the AL candidate. "He (Shamshul Haque) is no one in the party, he is not holding any post in AL, how he desires our cooperation in the elections," a senior AL leader of Patiya told this Correspondent preferring anonymity. AL leaders urged the party chief Sheikh Hasina to rethink about the candidate for greater unity of the party apart from regaining the constituency from the BNP.

They raised question about Shamsul Haque Chowdhury's competence to bring about qualitative change in politics.

On the other hand, Jatiya Party (JP-Ershad) has already nominated former lawmaker and industrialist Alhaj Sirajul Islam Chowdhury for the vital constituency of southern Chittagong. The seat belonged to the BNP over the last three elections.

The JP has been demanding the Chittagong-11 (Patiya) Constituency and Alhaj Sirajul Islam Chowdhury might have been declared as 'mega-alliance' candidate for Patiya constituency to ensure victory.

An AL leader told this Correspondent that the JP candidate Sirajul Islam had good track record in politics and he had been involved in politics since his college and university life.

"Meanwhile, his role in implementing third Karnaphuli Bridge, Patiya Upazila Health Complex, Patiya Municipality and different development works during his tenure will help him to get public support," he added.

Ctg acting mayor

Through a sudden decision acting Mayor of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) Alhaj M Monjur Alam is walking on a fresh track of politics with grief by saying bye to his long-cherished political ideology.

He might join Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) formally, which might be a big jolt for Awami League (AL) here in the port city.

While talking to this Correspondent, Manjur Alam said, "I've already received green signal from the BNP high-ups and now I'm thinking of participating in the election.

He thinks that the AL did not evaluate his contribution to AL.

Just couple of weeks back he collected nomination paper to contest the polls from the Double Mooring constituency under the banner of AL.

It is widely believed that Monjur could not get party ticket simply because of opposition of city unit AL President and Mayor Alhaj ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury. On the other hand, the AL high-ups have reportedly started negotiating with Monjur Alam to change his decision.