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A week ahead of UP polls

AL, BNP campaigning for 'their nominees'

By Nazmul Ashraf
The major political parties have laid special emphasis on the upcoming Union Parishad elections to strengthen their respective power bases at the grassroots level.
The parties are unofficially backing candidates of their choice in the campaign, putting political power" behind them, and in cases, sponsoring their electioneering, sources in the parties said.
The UP polls are scheduled to begin on December 1.
Though the UP polls are non-political In nature, political parties traditionally back their "preferred" candidates.
With only six days left for the elections, the major parties
are now busy extending all cooperation to their preferred candidates.
The two major parties — ruling Awami League and opposition BNP — are leamt to have taken up the UP polls as an opportunity to strengthen, reactivate and revamp their party units at the grassroots level. It s also a challenge to create power-base at the lowest tier of the local government administration. sources in both the parties said.
Insiders however said, both the parties have directed their MPs and other leaders at districts and thanas to put their maximum efforts behind the 'nominees'.
"Protect your area", is the common instruction to MPs and local leaders from the hierarchy in the AL and BNP. Winning the UP polls will greatly help the MPs and aspirants, policy planners in both the parties think.
Accordingly, the MPs. along with local leaders, are passing hectic days in their respective areas, campaigning for their 'nominees'.
The contending parties are also "preparing to face each other" on the election days, fearing outbreak of violence during balloting. Meanwhile, pre-election violence has also been reported ^om different parts of the country.
A meeting of the BNP Standing Committee last night discussed various aspects of the forthcoming polls and stressed the need for giving all back-up
support to "preferred" candidates. Chaired by party chief Begum Zia. the meeting also de-ciaed to give instruction to local leaders and workers to resist any move by the ruling party to rig the polls.
Top AL leaders in the cabinet are keeping away from the electioneering due to legal barriers but party MPs and other leaders have become Involved in the process.
But BNP leaders including party MPs have been engaged in the UP election. Begum Zia. now visiting districts is discussing the UP polls with local leaders while also making public statement warning the government against any kind of malpractice in the polls.
The Standing Committee of BNP meets again today to decide the party strategy for the upcoming elections.