Tough competition emerges as Afghan presidential election approaching

By Sediqui

KABUL, June 10 (Xinhua) -- As the date for the Afghan presidential election is drawing closer, the ambitious candidates are getting ready for the tough competition to win the country's top slot.

Forty-four social and political figures, prominent among them including the incumbent President Hamid Karzai and two former cabinet ministers, Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and Abdullah Abdullah, are on the race set for August 20 this year. A palmist, according to the Independent Election Commission (IEC), is also on the run to secure the top post in the post-Taliban Afghanistan.

Though, the presidential aspirants are one week away from the election campaign, some of them have already begun campaigning to bag sufficient votes.

Such dealings are in progress amongst the candidates in the capital city of Kabul while some other candidates are busy holding supporters' gatherings in some provinces to gain their support.

Almost every day, there are reports of holding meetings and receptions in Kabul and other provinces in favor of this or that presidential candidate.

Just on Friday, hundreds of people from the platform of a social forum Council for Unity and National Understanding of Afghanistan, gathered in a local hotel and announced their support for the sitting president for a second term.

Previously, series of such meetings have been held in different provinces and the participants announced backing for the candidates of their choice.

However, the real but tough race would be held among the incumbent Karzai, former Foreign Minister Abdullah and the erstwhile Finance Minister Ahmadzai. The trio former colleagues have already begun trading accusations as Abdullah describes Karzai's administration a failed state while Ahmadzai termed it a corrupt one, adding government functionaries are campaigning for Karzai.

Meantime, the date for launching the election campaign, according to the IEC, is set for June 16 and would continue until August 17, just 48 hours before beginning voting.

The fact that the present leadership whose term of office has been expired already allegedly failed to prepare the ground for meeting even the primary needs of the people.