The ruling Awami League backed candidate Sayeed Khokon's associating with his party counterpart-apparent and independent lawmaker Haji Mohammad Selim has reinvigorated the morale of the rank-and file party supporters in the unofficial campaign for the forthcoming  elections of the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC).
City AL Joint General Secretary Haji Selim who had intentions to contest in the DSCC mayoral elections, has backed
off from the poll race and joined in hectic campaign in favor of Sayeed Khokon. Haji Selim formally joined the campaign spree for Sayeed Khokon, son of former Dhaka city mayor Mohammad Hanif, from Friday at Lalbagh area.
However, Haji Selim will now be helping Sayeed Khokon's campaign for his elections. After getting green signal from the party's high command Sayeed Khokon had collected his nomination papers following the go ahead from the party, sources said.
Haji Selim decided to quit the race as he failed to secure party support, sources added.
Dhaka City AL acting President MA Aziz told the Daily Observer that, Friday's campaign plan for Sayeed Khokon with Haji Selim was planned in a meeting with AL Presidium member Mohammad Nasim on Thursday.
"However, the programme was successfully held," Aziz added.
Haji Selim's Personal Secretary Mohiuddin Belal told The Daily Observer, "He (Selim) went to the Chawkbazar Mosque with Khokon for Jummah prayers. After that both of them had exchanged pleasantries with the local people."
Khokon's Personal Secretary Habibul Islam Sumon, said, "Haji Selim introduced Khokon as 'Vatija' to the community people and announced Khokon as a mayoral candidate"
"Khokon then had lunch at Selim's home at Arju Tower at Nababpur," Sumon added.
Earlier, at the AL's Parliamentary Party meeting on Thursday, Hasina asked her party lawmakers to work for the party-backed candidates to ensure victory in the April 28 Dhaka and Chittagong city corporation elections.
"All lawmakers will have to work for our party-backed candidates so that they can win the polls," she was quoted as saying by a lawmaker present at the meeting.
The meeting was held at the ruling party's conference room at the parliament building.
Hasina also asked AL lawmakers to go back to their constituencies and form committees there to resist "subversive activities" by the BNP-led 20-party alliance being carried out in the name of blockade and hartal, meeting sources said.
Earlier, Haji Selim became an independent MP in the 10th parliament by defeating the party nominee Mostofa Jalal Mohiuddin. According to the law, any MP running for mayor in the city corporation polls will have to give up parliamentary seat. Selim had earlier indicated that he was ready to forego his MP seat. He had also collected the nomination papers to fight for the mayor's post in Dhaka South.
The lawmaker had also "submitted" his resignation letter to the Speaker, but later claimed that the resignation was not accepted. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina advised him to remain an MP.
After a week of hiding himself from the public places he attended the Parliament session on Mar 30, a day after the nomination submission deadline had ended.
He told the Speaker during the session that his letter of resignation from his MP post had been discarded.
Selim's aide on Mar 25 told that the letter was handed over to Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury but had not been accepted.