Find out reasons for AL debacle in Rangpur City Corpn polls

Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday directed the party top leaders to find out the reasons for the party's debacle in Rangpur City Corporation polls.
"We may lose any elections. But, what is the reason for such a huge defeat? You should look into the reasons for such a debacle," said a source, quoting the Prime Minister as saying during a meeting of its presidium, the highest policy making body, at her official residence Ganabhaban.
Main opposition Jatiya Party backed candidate Mostafizar Rahman Mostafa made a landslide victory in the RCC election, defeating the AL-backed candidate by a huge margin. According to unofficial results, Mostafa bagged 160,489 votes while AL candidate Sharfuddin Ahmed Jhantu got 62,400 votes.
The ruling party is concerned over the voting ratio as the polls were held in partisan manner.
Venting serious frustration over the poll result, the Prime Minister asked the leaders not to become too confident in any elections.
"You should not be too much confident in any election. If you become buoyant, the party may face such defeats in future too," she said.
Sheikh Hasina, however, expressed satisfaction over the RCC polls, which were held in a free, fair and credible manner.
She also thanked the Election Commission for holding the election in a credible manner.
"We hope the Election
Commission will be able to arrange elections in a credible manner in future too," she said.
Before the RCC polls, the BNP-led alliance cast doubt whether the polls would be held in a free, fair and credible manner.
Though the BNP at the half way of RCC polls brought allegation of irregularities, its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday termed the RCC polls a credible one.
Meeting sources said that the Prime Minister asked the presidium members to oversee the organisational activities of the party ahead of the parliamentary elections.
"Besides the organising secretaries, you should also play roles in strengthening the party activities," she said, asking the leaders and activists to project the success stories of the government among the voters.
Over the Dhaka North City Corporation by-polls, the AL president said the party would field an acceptable candidate in the by-polls. Some names from the ruling party have been in the air for the by-polls, slated for February next year.
"Let the Election Commission first announce the election schedule, then we will field our candidate," she said, adding that the contestant would be acceptable to everyone.
The party also decided to stage huge showdowns on January 5 and January 12, marking the Victory Day of Democracy and the formation of the incumbent government.