Deviation, sedition challenge principlists in parliamentary elections: Iran`s Zakani

TEHRAN, Jan. 8(MNA) – Head of the United Front of Principlists Election Office said deviants and seditionists are opponents of the principlists in the March parliamentary elections. Alireza Zakani also said there are “corrupt” people within the deviant and seditious groups who want to “stay in power and undermine the Islamic system.” Zakani said after the 2009 elections, seditionists, through unrest and violation of law, caused a sense of insecurity in the society. Seditionists back people as long as “they vote for them” otherwise they “hurl insult at them," Zakani commented. He went on to say that seditionists intend to launch an “active but silent” campaign for the elections and claimed that 19 percent of the persons who registered for parliamentary elections belonged to this “current” (seditionists). He also said the deviant current, by capitalizing on its “power and money” also seek parliamentary seats, but this group is not committed to Islamic principles. “This group has no belief in Islam (and) only wants to create conflict between (three branches) of power,” he argued. Zakani went on to say that an activist who bears close ties with the deviant current has revealed that “if we recognize that a reformist” is likely to win in a particular constituency, “we either back him or give up in his favor.” “Through this approach the deviant current seeks to polarize the political atmosphere so that it can emerge victorious in the elections,” he stated. He also said that the hegemonistic system has decided to confront the Islamic Revolution by tightening sanctions against Iran in order to disappoint people. "They bring numerous accusations against us in the international scene and tighten the situation so that our people get disappointed and the number of voters reduced," the principlist MP said. The lawmaker said the arrogant powers are seeking to create disunity among the people and create tension in the society as the election is approaching. Elsewhere in his remarks, he said the United Front of Principlists is making efforts to create unity among loyalists to the Islamic Revolution and disseminate the “discourse of principlism”. "We have decided to produce weekly programs and hold conferences in different provinces," he said. "Creating hope and exhilaration and joy is another thing that we are trying to focus on." He also said the “dangerous poison” is competition between principlists and this is “something that the enemy wants.” “The will of enemy, seditionists and deviationists is conflict and split in the principlist camp,” the Majlis deputy pointed out.