Awami League loyalists won big in Monday's fifth phase upazila elections bagging chairman posts in 51 upazilas to take the overall lead to 62 against the BNP favourites in all the five phases as their total tally now stands at 220, reports UNB.
In the fifth phase polls that wrapped up the staggered local body elections, the chairman candidates loyal to BNP won in 12 upazilas while that of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami three, AL rebels three, BNP rebel one, JSS two and UPDF one.
Outraged by the results, BNP leaders accused the government of indulging in 'daring vote dacoity', and defended their January 5 national election boycott saying that no fair election is possible under the current regime.
With Monday's election results, the total number of chairman candidates loyal to BNP is now 158 -- 44 in the first phase, 52 in the second phase, 28 in the third phase and 22 in the fourth phase.
Awami League's favourites' phase-wise breakup: 34 in the first phase, 45 in the second phase, 38 in the third phase and 52 in the fourth phase.
Jamaat-backed candidates secured a total of 32 chairman posts in the five phases of the upazila polls while that of Jatiya Party (Ershad) three.
The third and fourth phases of the local body elections -- 81 upazilas in the third phase and 91 upazilas in the fourth phase- saw massive violence that left six people dead.
Though the multi-phased fourth upazila elections came to a close on Monday with the fifth phase one, elections will be held in a few more upazilas soon.
At least 22 chairman candidates, mostly BNP-backed ones, boycotted the elections in Amtali, Bamna and Patharghata of Barguna, Tala and Debhata of Satkhira, Rupganj and Araihazar of Narayanganj, Sadar and Alamganda of Chuadanga, Kalapara of Patuakhali, Ashtagram of Kishoreganj, Madarganj of Jamalpur, Chandina of Comilla, and Sadar of Tangail.
