Candidates from the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) who lost Shura Council elections to opposition candidates yesterday say they might take legal action to uncover vote rigging. The disgruntled NDP candidates accused their party of "treason and corruption," claiming their seats were given to the opposition to maintain a facade of democracy. Abdel Ilah Abdel Hamid, a former NDP Shura member from Azbakiya, alleged that his loss in yesterday's election was premeditated by NDP officials. "That will not pass easily," Abdel Hamid said. Another NDP member, Ahmed Salem, a former People's Assembly representative, said his opposition rival obtained only 45 votes and had lost three previous local elections. "After this scandal, I will burn my NDP membership card in public," Salem said. "The state, the government, and the party are all corrupt." In Damietta, NDP nominee Hassan Habashy accused the party of treason, criticizing security violations that he said served the Tagammu Party candidate. Ahmed Sameh, the party's candidate for South Giza, said the NDP had abandoned its members and cut a deal with the liberal Ghad Party. He said he withdrew from the race as soon as he knew the ballots had been fixed in favor of the other contestant. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
