Hailing the Dec 30 schedule for municipality polls, the ruling Awami League (AL) on Tuesday said the party is already prepared for taking part in the elections.
The 14-party alliance partners also hailed the announcement of the polls scheduled to be held on partisan basis which previously was hitherto a non-party affair. But they hoped that Election Commission would ensure all steps to hold a free and transparent election.
An AL insider said, "The local body election delayed two months as the government decided to hold partisan basis polls and in this regard all the candidates started preparing themselves a few months ago. So there is no question of hurry."
Talking to this correspondent, some 14-party alliance leaders see it as a very pragmatic move as the absence of party labels confuses voters while casting ballots they (voters) usually know nothing about the candidates.
Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif told the Daily Observer: "As this is for the first time in the history of the country that the local body polls will be held on partisan basis. The announcement of the polls schedule by the CEC has already generated tremendous enthusiasm among grassroots workers and leaders of the party."
"As this time polls will be held with party symbol, Awami League will definitely name its candidates along with all other components of the 14-party," Hanif added.
Hailing the CEC's decision to hold a fresh poll, General Secretary of Workers Party Fazle Hossain Badsha said, "  As the tenure of almost all municipalities have expired,  a fresh election is essential for making the municipalities more dynamic and welfare oriented. "
"To strengthen the local government administration, all the elections should be held in time under party banner," Badsha said.
General Secretary of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal Sharif Nurul Ambia said, "We are very happy but we want that the EC will ensure a credible election."