Badsha quits Rajshahi mayoral race

Workers Party Politburo Member Fazle Hossain Badsha dropped out of the mayoral race in Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) yesterday clearing the way for Awami League (AL) leader AHM Khairuzzaman Liton for running in the August 4 poll there with an undisputed nomination from 14-party coalition.Badsha, who was earlier nominated by the AL-led coalition, quit the race in the face of a strong demand from the local unit of the coalition for nominating Liton, an AL central working committee member also Rajshahi city unit general secretary. "I, Fazle Hossain Badsha, withdrew my candidacy for personal reasons," Badsha wrote in his request to the Rajshahi deputy election commissioner for withdrawing his candidacy.Emerging from the local election commission office after withdrawing his candidacy around 4.30pm, Badsha however told reporters that he withdrew his candidacy for 'political reasons, to maintain the unity of non-communal democratic forces'. Mixed reactions were sparked in 14-party coalition following Badsha's withdrawal from the race. In Sylhet, local Workers Party leaders and workers withdrew their support for detained Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) Mayor Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, who is the 14-party nominee there. Meanwhile, a total of 16 mayoral aspirants, 145 councillorship aspirants and 3 aspirants to seats reserved for women withdrew their candidacies yesterday in the city corporations of Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet and Barisal. After the withdrawal of candidacies, in Khulna six are now running for mayor, 206 are running for councillorship, and 46 women are running for the reserved seats. In Barisal 10 are running for mayor, 145 for councillorship, and 39 for the reserved seats.In Sylhet 15 are running for mayor, 197 for councillorship, and 46 are running for the reserved seats for women. In Rajshahi 15 are running for mayor, 203 for councillorship, and 63 for the reserved seats. Thee mayoral aspirants, 32 councillorship aspirants, and two aspirants to women's reserved seats dropped out of the races in Barisal alone. In Rajshahi two mayoral aspirants, 36 councillorship aspirants, and 1 woman aspirant to a reserved seat withdrew from the race.In Sylhet four mayoral aspirants and 18 councillorship aspirants dropped out of the race yesterday. In Khulna five mayoral aspirants and 59 councillorship aspirants withdrew their candidacies. Following Badsha's withdrawal of candidacy in RCC, leaders of 14-party coalition seemed relieved, although Workers' Party expressed unambiguous disappointment. While most of the coalition leaders said Badsha showed 'political wisdom' by stepping out of the race, its component Workers Party's chief Rashed Khan Menon said, "Badsha withdrew his candidacy for personal reasons, which does not mean Liton is the 14-party nominee. At least Workers Party is not there to support Liton." Criticising Liton for 'defying the coalition's decision', he said the media in Rajshahi spread misinformation regarding local 14-party unit's support for Liton.Badsha and Liton however held a joint news conference and vowed to work together, after the former's withdrawal of candidacy. Menon, a key-leader of the coalition, also said his party will sit within a couple of days to decide whether they will continue to contest in local government polls jointly with the components of the coalition. Asked whether the unity of the coalition will be affected due to Badsha's withdrawal from the RCC poll, Menon said, "We stand by secularism."AL Presidium Member Motia Chowdhury said, "Badsha has shown political wisdom and he will get the return in the future."