With Sara Begum Kabari pulling out of the race, Awami League has now one candidate in Annisul Huq to contest the polls in Dhaka north.
The ruling party this time has ensured a rebel-free state for both parts of Dhaka.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed party men to throw their weight behind former FBCCI president Annisul Huq and Sayeed Khokon - her choices for mayors.
She said if anyone violated the party decision he would have to face the music. Soon, Haji Salim and Ekhlas Uddin Mollah refrained from submitting their nomination forms.
However, another rebel candidate for Dhaka North former Awami League lawmaker and filmstar Kabari submitted her nomination form.
On April 8, Awami League published the names of its councillor hopefuls. The party however later changed its candidates for Ward 3 and Ward 11.
Kabari’s withdrawal from the fray gave Annisul a great deal of leverage.
Annisul is also enjoying the advantage of not having any strong opposition candidate after BNP’s Abdul Awal Mintoo lost his appeal in the Supreme Court.
Annisul Huq said: “I never think of benefitting from someone’s nomination cancellation.”
He will publish his manifesto tomorrow at his election office in Nikunja.
Sayeed Khokon, the Awami League-backed candidate in the south, wants to serve the city dwellers as a son, not as a father.
“My father late Mohammad Hanif was the first mayor of Dhaka who dedicated his life to the people and Awami League,” Khokon said while campaigning at Dholaipar.
Though the ruling party candidates started its polls campaign in full swing, BNP is yet to decide upon its candidate for the DNCC.
However, BNP-backed mayoral candidate for the DSCC Mirza Abbas’s wife and his supporters have started the election campaign for Abbas who has remained in hideout since the BNP-led indefinite transport blockade started since January 03.