As the municipality election is only around two weeks away, all four mayoral candidates in Patiya municipality of Chittagong are busy campaigning from early morning to midnight.

Visiting the area on Tuesday, The Daily Star found that the lanes and by-lanes were abuzz with campaigns. People said this time they were more enthusiastic as the polls are going to be held under party banners and symbols.

Locals expect that the future mayor will remove waterlogging and drainage problems and improve waste management.

They demand the roads currently dilapidated be renovated with footpath facilities.

Jasim Uddin, a businessman of ward 2, said students were at health risk due to unclean dustbins on their way to institutions and homes.

Locals said students were suffering as there was no footpath beside the roads in front of Patiya Government College, Patiya Model High School and Rahat Ali High School.

Didar-ul-Alam, proprietor of Alam Store at Munsef Bazar, said most of the roads in the municipality went under knee-deep water during monsoon.

Locals said a tripartite vote battle is going to happen in the upcoming polls among the ruling Awami League nominated candidate and incumbent mayor Harun-ur-Rashid, BNP nominated Tauhidul Alam and Jatiya Party's Shamsul Alam. One Md Ibrahim will contest as an independent candidate.

Of them, Shamsul was elected for two terms in the past. Tauhidul, a joint general secretary of Chittagong south district unit of Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, is a new face, said locals.

However, Tauhidul has a large number of supporters as the election will be held under party banner, said a resident Tanvir Hossain, adding, "Many voters will cast their ballots only after seeing electoral symbols."

A total of 34,512 voters are expected to cast their ballots to elect a mayor and nine councillors for nine wards and three female councillors for three reserved seats on December 30.

AL candidate Harun, who was campaigning in ward 3, said the condition of 80 percent of roads was good and tender had been floated for repairing the rest.

Harun is hopeful as, what he said, he did a lot for the development of the municipality during his five-year tenure.

BNP-nominated Tauhidul was campaigning in Chowdhury Para. He said he would win if the election was held in a free and fair manner.

Similar prediction came from JP candidate Shamsul. He said, "If the ruling party activists and administration hinder people in casting ballots, people will teach them a lesson through tough movements."