The ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) has called on "dissidents" within the party not to run in 28 November parliamentary elections as independents, reminding them of the oaths of loyalty they took to the NDP.
Although only a few party members have decided to run independently, the party nevertheless requested that they run on the NDP ticket and present their candidacy applications before the Sunday deadline.
The NDP's provincial branches have reportedly set up "operations rooms" from which to monitor candidacy applications–whether by NDP nominees or those belonging to opposition parties–in order to draw up a preliminary electoral map for each constituency.
Party secretaries assured candidates who were not chosen to run in elections that they would have another chance to run in the next Shura Council elections.
NDP Organization Secretary Ahmed Ezz, meanwhile, sent SMS messages to all candidates assuring them that the party had chosen its parliamentary candidates "impartially."
Dissident party member Magdy Khattab, however, insisted on running as an independent.
“I came in at first place in all opinion polls,” he said. “But the party still excluded me from its candidacy list.”
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
