Sejuti Mourin: The campaigning for the upcoming Khulna City Corporation (KCC) election, scheduled to take place on May 15, has gained momentum. All the contenders, including mayoral aspirants, are conducting campaigns in full swing from early morning to midnight, reports BSS. Many of the candidates have set up election offices at key points as per the election rules. Using loudspeakers, distributing leaflets and manifesto to reach their messages to voters, 5 candidates are vying for the mayoral post. They are: Awami League backed-candidate and former mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque (boat), BNP backed candidate Nazrul Islam Manju (paddy-stack), Jatiya Party backed candidate Shafiqur Rahman Mushfiq (plough), Islami Andolon backed candidate Mowlana Muzammel Haque(Handfan) and CPB backed candidate  Mizanur Rahman Babu(scythe). Many speculate the main contest to be between the AL and BNP candidates, Khaleque and Manju, respectively. Furthermore, 148 aspirants are contesting for 31 general councilor posts and 38 women for 10 reserved seats of councilors. The number of voters this time has been tallied at 4, 93,092, including 2, 44,109 women, who will cast their votes in 289 centers. Md Younus Ali, Khulna Regional Election Commissioner, told BSS yesterday that four vigilance teams will observe candidate activities. “If they witness any irregularities they will submit report along with evidence to Khulna EC office and EC will take action against the accused candidates as per election rules,” he said. “We are taking full-length preparation to make the polling activities a total success.”