Selina Hayat Ivy is likely to get the backing of the ruling Awami League as a mayoral candidate in the Narayanganj City Corporation polls scheduled for October 30.

In a late night development yesterday, the AL high command at a discussion opted for pulling Shamim Osman, another mayoral hopeful from AL, out of the race. As a "reward”

he might be made president of the Narayanganj district unit AL and a technocrat state or deputy minister,

party insiders told The Daily Star.

This “unofficial decision” came at a meeting between Prime Minister and AL President Sheikh Hasina and some senior party leaders at her official residence Gono Bhaban around 9:00pm.

Sources said Hasina told the meeting that both Shamim and Ivy were popular leaders in Narayanganj and she herself had a "soft corner for both

of them because of their devotion to the party".

Acknowledging the contributions Shamim Osman and his family had made over the decades to the party, Hasina said Ivy was like a younger sister to Shamim. “It is the elder brother [Shamim) who should make a sacrifice," a source quoted Hasina as saying.

About Shamim, the AL chief said he was like her younger brother and that she would “take care of him," the sources added.

All the city corporation mayors are male, and it would be good for the country if there was a woman mayor, Hasina said in humour. “Some say that I always speak for women!"

AL insiders said Shamim might be called to Dhaka this morning, and if he agreed to accept the proposal, the party would make its position clear on supporting the candidate of its choice.

Presidium Member Obaidul Quader, acting general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif and Organising Secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak, who were present among others at the meeting with Hasina, were assigned to make the two contenders reach a consensus.

AL Presidium Member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, advisory council members AMA Muhith and Moshiur Rahman, organising secretaries Ahmed Hossain, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, BM Mozammel Haque and Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapan were also present.

Earlier in the morning, another round of discussions between senior AL leaders and Shamim and Ivy failed to reach a decision on the party's backing either of them in polls.

The party will make its position clear on the matter by tomorrow after talks with the Election Commission on the legalities involved, Obaidul Quader told The Daily Star.

“We've heard from Shamim and Ivy. It's a difficult choice to make but not impossible," said Quader.

If the electoral code of conduct does not permit a party to support a candidate, the AL will respect the rule, unlike the opposition BNP, which has endorsed Taimur Alam Khandoker, he added.

Hanif has been assigned to sit with the commission on behalf of the party. Also a special assistant to party chief Hasina, Hanif might meet the EC today.

AL leaders Sajeda, Quader and Hanif sat separately with Shamim and Ivy at Sajeda's Gulshan residence in the morning when both candidates vowed to contest the election and expressed confidence about coming out victorious with party support behind them.

Sajeda informed the party president of the outcome of the meeting held in the morning.

On October 2, Hasina herself met Shamim and Ivy separately. No decision on supporting either of the mayoral candidates emerged from that meeting.

Meanwhile, after a meeting with the returning officer in Narayanganj Election Commissioner Muhammad Sahul Hussain said there is no scope for giving party support in a nonpartisan election but there is no legal bar in this regard.

However, another Election Commissioner M Sakhawat Hossain said the EC would take action if it came by allegations of party pressure on a candidate to quit the race. He did not, however, specify the nature of the action.

He added, though, that the commission could do nothing if a candidate pulled out on his own.

Meanwhile, the mayoral and councillor candidates yesterday commenced campaigning in NCC, reports our Narayanganj correspondent.