CAIRO: Head of the ruling National Democratic Party's policies committee Gamal Mubarak criticized Egyptian opposition groups for promoting a negative view of the party during his speech at its annual conference. The party's sixth annual conference wrapped up Monday evening, but the day before Mubarak commented on the opposition's criticism of the NDP during his speech. A theme that had also cropped up in a speech by Ahmed Ezz - the party's secretary of organization - Mubarak said that the annual conference presented an opportunity for the opposition to attack the NDP every year. Claiming that the opposition had failed in attempting to highlight a schism between the old guard and new guard within the NDP, he stated that they were trying to "create a negative mental image of the party and mobilize public opinion against us. Ezz had said in his speech during the conference, "We respect the opposition and we do not fear it, because we are the strongest current on the Egyptian streets. Karama party leader Saad Aboud told Daily News Egypt Monday, "If they are more popular in the streets as they claim, then how come we're mobilizing public opinion against them as Gamal Mubarak says? Opposition groups in Egypt believe that Mubarak is being groomed to succeed his father, and as such had recently formed a coalition officially opposed to his possible presidency. Mubarak himself refused to be drawn on whether he would be the NDP candidate in the upcoming 2011 presidential elections, telling reporters Sunday night that he "would not answer hypothetical questions, adding that the NDP was not obligated to announce its candidate at this time. "He can't announce his candidacy right now because he doesn't have the support of the streets, Aboud said. The opposition has thrown its weight behind the Egyptian campaign against inheritance of power, which opposes the potential succession of Gamal Mubarak as the country's next president. "Gamal Mubarak will not rule us, even over our dead bodies. We will chase him in the courts and on the streets. There is no difference for us between the succession of Gamal or the extension of his father's tenure, both are refused, said Kefaya movement for change coordinator Abdel-Halim Qandeel during the movement's inauguration last month.
