Internal elections for the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP), in which 64 female candidates will compete for parliamentary seats earmarked for women, kicked off on Tuesday amid tight security and high attendance by party members.
In the Red Sea Governorate, NDP nominee Hanan Helmi, who is competing for the governorate's farmer’s seat, said she had sent a request to President Hosni Mubarak that he might accept an LE200 million donation for the reclamation of some 500,000 acres of land that she hoped to donate to help unemployed youth.
In Daqahliya, meanwhile, female NDP candidates vied with one another using different campaign tactics. Supporters of candidate Amina Mohamed Mahmoud beat on drums and gave flowers to party members, while the students of another candidate, Aida al-Sakhawy, chanted slogans of support for their professor.
In Minya, female ruling party candidates passed out chocolates and gifts. In Sohag, they depended more on appearances, with many sporting fancy clothes, hairstyles and makeup while driving expensive cars in an effort to prove their ability to spend lavishly on their electoral campaigns.
While in Kafr al-Sheikh, leading NDP official Mohamed Abdel Hadi was moved to ban excited greetings and kisses within the electoral compound.
