Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif, joint general secretary of ruling Awami League, on Thursday said if any leader or worker of the party becomes independent or rebel mayoral candidate in the ensuing pourasabha (municipal) polls in violation of the party decision, he or she will be expelled from the party.

"If anybody in the party vies as a candidate in the pourasabha polls violating the party decision, he or she will get highest punishment in accordance with party constitution," he said.

Hanif said this while addressing a press conference at the political office of Awami League president Sheikh Hasina at Dhanmondi in the city. The press conference was convened to announce formally the party's list of mayoral candidates in the pourasabha polls slated for December 30.

The Awami League leader said, "This is for the first time pourasabha polls are being held on party basis. Candidates are being handed over with nomination papers signed by our party leader. Party polls symbol will be used in the polls. So, anybody in the party-fold violates the party decision, he or she will get highest punishment, expulsion from the party, in accordance with our party constitution."

"I believe leaders and workers of our party are loyal to our leader and the party as well. For this reason, none will become an accused of violating the party discipline. I can assure you that there will be lone candidates of Awami League after December 13 in all the pourasabhas across the country where polls will be held. In one or two municipalities, some independent candidates dropped nomination papers for technical reasons as the party nominee's candidature might be cancelled during scrutiny by the Election Commission," he added.

In reply to BNP's allegation that the government is going to held one-sided pourasabha polls, Hanif said, "As BNP has already been isolated from the people of the country due to its destructive politics of secret killings and murdering people blasting petrol bombs, it has come up with such a fabricated allegation to woo voters' sympathy."

Awami League joint general secretary Advocate Jahangir Kabir Nanak, organising secretaries Ahmed Hossain, BM Mozammel Haque, AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury and Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapan, office secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap and central working committee member SM Kamal Hossain were present, among others.

BSS/RI