Four-party alliance candidates will win in al least five out of six constituencies in Khulna district il the next general election is held in a free and lair manner, local leaders of the allianceclaim.

they do not hope to win in Khulna-1 (Dakop-Batiaghata) constituency, a minority-dominated area and a vote bank ol Awami league, they said talking to this correspondent.

Al won this seal both in 1991 and 1996 parliamentary elections. Awami league chief Sheikh Kasina polled 62. 247 voles against her nearest rival's 33.521 in 1996 elections in the constituency.

BNP own the Khulna-2 (Sadar-Sanadanga) seat in 1991 and 1996 elections. BNP hopes to win this seat again as (he people (here are now uniled against "repression" by (he Awami league government, they say.

BNP also hopes to win the Khulna-3 (DaulatpurKhalishpur) seal in the next election. BNP candidate Ashraf I lossain won the seat in 1991 elections but lost to AL candidate Kazi Sikandar Ali Dalim in 1996 with a small margin of 15,52 votes

Al won the KhuIna - 4 (RupshaTerokhedi-Digholia) seat both in 1991 and 1996 parliamentary elec lions. Al candidate Mostafa Rashid Shuja polled 59,566 votes.

while his nearest rival Khulna city BNP President M Nurul Islam got 57,221 votes in 1996 election.

BNP says it will get the seat in the next elections because voters are now fed up with AL s " repression and retaliation", intra-party rivalry and murders of Al s opponents by hired killers. The sitting M P's alleged patronisation ol terrorists will be one among many laciors lor their debacle in the next election, the alliance leaders say.

Late Salah uddin Yusui ol Aw .uni League had won the Khulna-5 (Dumuria-Phuhala)svatin 1991 and 1996 elections due to minority community votes and unity among local leaders of the party. Fie got 70,184 votes while his nearest rival from BNP got 45,184 votes in the last dec tion.

But this time the situation is quile different due to murders of AL’s political rivals, alleged patronisation of activists of outlawed PBCP and BCP and repression on members of the minority community and grabbing of iheir lands, the alliance leaders claimed.

Nurul Huq of Al won the Khulna-6 (Koira-Paikgacha) seal in 1996 election, polling 66.033 voles. His nearest rival Shah Ruhul Quddus of Jamaat-e-lslami got 49.023 votes. Quddus had won the seat in 1991 elections. The alliance leaders say Quddus will gel the seat in the next election because Koira is a vote bank of Jamaat where the siting MP "did not pay any attention".

Isiami Oikkya Jote, a component of the alliance, has no political strength in Khulna to seek nomination for any of ihe six seats.