Ruling Awami League and opposition BNP are seemingly facing hurdles in regard to fielding single councillor candidate in each ward in the January 30 two city corporations polls.
If the rebels do not go by the party decision, they might face organizational actions against them.
More than 100 rebel Ward Councillor candidates from the ruling Bangladesh Awami League in the elections of the two city corporations--Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC)--might be expelled from the party for their anti-party roles.
On the other hand, BNP is trying to negotiate with their around 50 rebel candidates in the same elections.
However, sources said almost all the rebel candidates from both the parties are strict in their positions. They would remain contesting even if they are expelled by their own parties.
As a result, both Awami League and BNP are facing difficulties with the candidature by the rebels in the elections.
According to sources, around 100 Ward Councillor candidates from the Awami League are contesting the city elections as the rebels while more than 50 from the opposition BNP.
Among the rebels from the ruling Awami League, there are at least 35 candidates, who are the incumbent Ward Councillors from different Wards.
Those rebels have kept their electoral campaign activities continued ignoring party decisions and directives. Incidents of attacks and counter attacks also took places between the supporters of main and rebel candidates while tense situation was also prevailing among them in different wards. Senior leaders from both the parties failed to come to reach an understanding among them.
Earlier, a total of 125 rebel candidates for the general Ward Councillor posts in the DSCC have withdrawn their candidature while 20 rebel women from the women’s reserved seats. Now the number of candidates for the 73 general Ward Councillor posts in the DSCC is 335 and the number of candidates in the 22 women’s reserved seats is 82.
Besides, a total of 111 rebel candidates in the 54 general Ward Councillor posts in DNCC have withdrawn their candidatures and 12 women rebels from the 18 women’s reserved seats. Now the number of general Ward Councillor candidates in DNCC is 251 and the number of women candidates in 18 reserved seats is 77.
Sources in the Awami League said, the party already has decided to expel those who did not withdraw their candidatures, and are still contesting different Ward Councillor posts as the rebels.
Earlier on Wednesday, both the two committees formed for the monitoring of the DSCC and DNCC Election Monitoring Committee of Awami League issued separate notices saying that despite the party decision, those who did not withdraw their candidatures, they would be expelled.
In this regard, Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif, Join Secretary of Awami League, said those who are ignoring party decision would have to face party actions.
“Party is serious to take action against the rebels for their anti-party roles”, said Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif.
BNP Vice-Chairman Mohammad Shahjahan admitted that there are some rebel candidates from BNP in different Ward Councillor posts.
He said, “We are trying to make them inactive and requested them to refrain from the electoral campaign activities. We hope they will respond positively.”
The BNP leader, however, said that the BNP yet did not take any decision to expel them from the party.
The polls in the DSCC and DNCC are scheduled to be held on January 30. The elections will be held for two Mayoral and 129 general Ward posts and 43 reserved seats for women.
In the elections, seven candidates are contesting for the DSCC Mayoral post and six for the DNCC Mayoral post.