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Uplift vow Falu's plank, AL help Mannan's hope

Campaign closes tonight, Bikalpa Dhara denied Karwan Bazar, Muktangan meeting venues

Staff Correspondent
The two key rivals in July 1 by-polls in Dhaka-10 constituency were busy in last hours of electioneering yesterday before official ban on the campaign takes hold midnight tonight, 48 hours ahead of the voting.
The Bikapla Dhara could not hold a planned public rally in Karwan Bazar or at Muktangan because of the authorities' non-coopcration, but the main opposition Awami League's (AL's) commitment to launch a full-fledged cam-
paign in the closing hours lifted the party’s hopes.
Although as many as 22 candidates are vying for the seat, political analysts believe the contest will mainly be limited to BNP-led alliance nominee Mosaddak Ali Falu and the Bikalpa Dhara candidate retired army major Abdul Mannan.
The seat fell vacant when Mannan resigned from both parliament and the BNP on March 10 to join the Bikalpa Dhara, founded by former president AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury.
FALU'S CAMPAIGN
Falu, accompanied by BNP lawmakers Moazzcm Hossain Alai and Joynal Abedin Faruq, engaged in mass contact with garment factory employees and slum dwellers in Tcjgaon and professionals in Ramna and top BNP leaders addressed public meetings and participated in processions to swing votes.
As the garment employees described the sorry state of road communications in the areas, Falu said the election code of conduct barred him from making any promise. "But I'll solve all the problems discussing with Prime Minister
Khaleda Zia, other ministers and government officials if you cast vote for the sheaf of paddy.
"Development is possible only by the ruling party candidate. Since I'm the ruling alliance candidate, 1'11 be able to serve you the best.
"How can Mannan, who failed to ensure any development during his two and a half years in office as a ruling party lawmaker, can deliver good for his electorate as an opposition man?" he asked.
After exchanging views with proBNP professionals at the National Press Club in the afternoon, Falu attended a public meeting near the Matsya Bhaban intersection.
Addressing as the chief guest, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan asked BNP leaders to be on the alert for Bikalpa Dhara supporters.
"After the defeat of their candidate, they might engage in clashes and shift the blame onto the BNP," he said.
"Once Falu is elected, development in Ramna-Tejgaon area that could not be done in the last 15 years will be possible in the remaining two and a half years of the ruling government as all ministers like him."
Falu asked his supporters to bring voters to polling centres on the polling day, rain or shine.
MANNAN'S CAMPAIGN
The Dhaka City Corporation did not give Mannan permission to hold an election rally at Karwan Bazar or at Muktangan, saying they did not take a decision on the first place and two other parties booked the second meeting venue.
The AL and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal yesterday campaigned for Mannan in the constituency seen as the prestige clash between the government and the opposition, accusing the ruling coalition of misrule, failure to deliver, unabated crime and widespread corruption.
Talking to The Daily Star, Bikalpa Dhara leaders said their campaign was hobbled a bit by court battles over election symbol and the government's virtual rejection of the election commission order to deploy army in each polling centre and a rash of attacks on them.
But the party hustings gathered pace after the AL and other opposition parties extended support to the newly floated party.
Coming out of the High Court yesterday after the hearing of his writ petition on army deployment, Mannan went to the AL headquarters to hold a strategic meeting with the party's Dhaka City unit.
AL leaders who attended the meeting with the unit president Mohammad Hanif in the chair agreed to add spark to Mannan's campaign in each ward of the constituency and swing votes.
"We'll employ our full strength to ensure our candidate's victory," unit General Secretary Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya said.
The meeting decided to bring out a colourful procession from Matsya Bhaban at 3:00pm today.
Mannan also exchanged greetings with leaders and activists of AL's women, youth, student, volunteer and workers' fronts.
The Bikalpa Dhara candidate along with AL leaders and activists conducted mass contact at Mogh-bazar and Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.