Shawdesh desk:

All eyes are fixed on Narayanganj as the city goes to polls tomorrow (Sunday) with the main battle expected between ‘Boat’ and ‘Elephant’ symbols.

Electioneering in the Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) elections ended on Friday midnight as the mayoral and councillor candidates made their last-minute efforts to woo voters.

The government has assigned 27 mobile teams run by the magistrates and deployed huge law enforcing agencies to hold the voting peacefully. Voters of NCC including 50 percent women are set to exercise franchise with enthusiasm.

Although seven candidates are vying for the mayoral post, the main contest is expected to be held between Awami League contestant Dr Selina Hayat Ivy with ‘Boat’ and BNP veteran Taimur Alam Khandaker, who is running as an independent candidate, with ‘Elephant’.

The NCC elections are seen by all as an acid test for the two major candidates as the results are likely to influence substantially the future course of politics in Narayanganj. Both the contenders are hopeful of their victory in the polls.

There are 180 other candidates — 148 against councillor posts and 32 for women reserved councillor posts – in the race.

After several weeks of hectic campaign by the candidates in an atmosphere of festivity, the voters of the city will cast their votes from 8:00am to 4:00pm to elect their mayor and councillors.

Some 517,361 voters will be able to exercise their franchise in the elections to be held using electronic voting machines (EVMs).

The Election Commission has completed all necessary preparations to hold the polls in a free and fair manner.

AL runner Ivy on Friday expressed optimism about her victory in the polls. “Many factions have been created to ensure my defeat. Many are trying to figure out how to defeat me. But, everyone knows that I’ll win for certain,” she told a press conference at her residence in Narayanganj.

She also predict that she will win the elections by a margin of over 1 lakh votes and expressed the hope that the elections will be held in a festive manner.

Independent mayoral candidate Taimur Alam, who was removed from several BNP posts for joining the polls going beyond the party decision, said AL Presidium member Jahangir Kabir Nanak is creating confusion in the minds of people about the elections through holding a meeting with the deputy commissioner and the superintendent of police of the district.

While briefing reporters in Missionpara area of the city, he said Nanak along with some of his colleagues had a meeting with the DC and SP on Thursday night, just two days before the election. “Nanak is creating confusion among the public although he is not a voter here.”

Taimur claimed that the supporters of the ruling party’s candidate are violating the electoral code of conduct by using government facilities during campaign.

In 2016, Ivy was re-elected NCC mayor as an AL candidate and the mayoral election was held using party symbols.

She became the NCC mayor first in 2011 defeating AL heavyweight Shamim Osman.

Meanwhile, elections in five municipalities — Banshkhali, Noakhali, Jhikargachha, Bagatipara and Natore — and by-polls in Tangail-7 constituency will also be held tomorrow.