Iran reformists grumble in muted election campaign

TEHRAN-Opponents of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday that campaign restrictions in this week's election will help conservatives keep control of parliament.Such a result does not guarantee good news for the president because the conservative camp is broad, including allies of Ahmadinejad, long-time rivals and those who have deserted him as public grumbling over double-digit inflation has mounted.But the president's staunchest critics, reformists who seek social and political change, say they face unbeatable odds in the March 14 vote for the 290-seat assembly after many of their main candidates were barred in a pre-election vetting process."We see the election ... as an unjust and uncompetitive election. In fact the fate of 160 of parliament's 290 seats has been decided even before the election is held," senior reformist Mostafa Tajzadeh told a campaign meeting."The reformists are able to compete for only about 130 seats meaning that if we win, we would (still) only be the minority."The vote is being watched for pointers on Ahmadinejad's chances of re-election in 2009, although analysts say much may depend on whether he retains the public approval of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's ultimate authority.The week of campaigning has so far been muted. Instead of the usual blizzard of posters of candidates appealing to voters from street lamps, buildings and any free wall space, a ban on the practice has left few outward signs of a race.Banners for political groups have been erected on major Tehran streets but some voters still wonder how they will pick out individuals from the 4,500 or so running nationwide.
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