The Hindu : International : Hardliner poses tough poll challenge to Rafsanjani

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Friday, Jun 24, 2005

International

International

Hardliner poses tough poll challenge to Rafsanjani

Atul Aneja

Contest between young radicals and clerical old guard

MANAMA: Iranians will vote for a new President on Friday, in what has become a contest within the establishment between a younger generation of Right-wing politicians and powerful sections of the clerical old guard.

An extremely tight race is in the offing, where an emerging pro-reform front is backing Centre-Right cleric, Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. The former Teheran mayor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has seriously challenged Mr. Rafsanjani, who has been member of the religious old guard led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, which brought about the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The 49-year-old Mr. Ahamdinejad belongs to the younger generation of Right-wing leaders who cut their teeth during the eight-year Iran-Iraq war that began in 1980.

"The pro-reform groups who are backing Mr. Rafsanjani have been put on the defensive by Mr. Ahmadinajad, who is likely to have at least five million dedicated supporters behind him. Iranian voters have to poll in large numbers if Mr. Rafsanjani is to succeed," Shirzad Bozorgmehr, managing editor of the English daily Iran News told The Hindu.

Not surprisingly, pro-reform groups, as well as prominent newspapers, have been exhorting voters to show up in large numbers.

Close to Islamists

Analysts point out that Mr. Ahmadinejad has been closely associated with the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) — the frontline troops which grew in stature during the Iran-Iraq war, as well as the Basij paramilitary militia. Mr. Ahmadinejad has also been a key member of the Abadgaran group of young radicals that already control Parliament. The former mayor's association with the IRGC began formally when he joined the force in 1986.

Mr. Ahmadinejad also derives his clout from his membership of the hardline Islamic Revolution Devotees' Society, which along with the Abadgaran, symbolises Right-wing drift among wide sections of young Iranians.

The former mayor's economic platform where he has talked about land redistribution and tackling unemployment, has also appealed to Iran's urban and rural poor.

In contrast to Mr. Ahmadinejad, Mr. Rafsanjani has established an extensive support network within the older clerical establishment. His powers of patronage grew immensely after he was twice elected President and became the head of the Expediency Council — a powerful body that adjudicates disputes between Parliament and the Guardians Council.

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