Barisal, Aug 5 (bdnews24.com)—PDP leader Sharfuddin Ahmed Shantu has rejected the unofficial results of the Barisal City Corporation election, declaring rival Awami League-backed Shawkat Hossain Hiron as mayor, while a local BNP leader has also cast doubts on the validity of the results.
Hiron (46,796 votes) beat Shantu (46,208 votes) by a slim margin of 588 votes, according to unofficial results released early Tuesday.
Shantu told bdnews24.com Tuesday: "I will file a case against the election results. I want a re-vote. I do not accept this result. I have been made the loser through rigging."
The PDP leader said he would submit a written statement to the returning officer.
Meanwhile Barisal district BNP general secretary Nazrul Islam Rajon claimed Tuesday: "The results were published though a 'media coup' in a pre-planned way."
Nazrul also mentioned Hiron's going to the Election Commission office in the midst of vote-counting to say that he did not accept the results.
He told bdnews24.com it created a question in the minds of people about the role of the Election Commission.
"There is no possibility of the next election being acceptable," he said.
The AL-backed Hiron went to the district Election Commission office at about 1.45am Tuesday morning, when vote counting was at the last stage and his clear lead was being eroded.
Hiron alleged to reporters present that his sure victory was being snatched through vote rigging, and that he 'rejected' the results of the election before its declaration.
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