Egypt's Brotherhood slammed for reversing no-election pledge by naming presidential candidate

Cairo, Apr 2 (ANI): Egypt's powerful political wing the Muslim Brotherhood, is facing a wave of criticism from people within and outside its group over its decision to name a candidate for the country's presidential race.

The group recently named its deputy chairman, Khairat al-Shatir, for presidential elections, reversing an earlier pledge not to contest the election.

According to The Washington Post, the nomination spurred at least two high-level resignations from the organization.

Also, the Facebook page of the Brotherhood's youth faction was filled with angry denunciations of "hypocrites" and "liars."

Mahmoud Hussein, the group's deputy leader, recently said it had decided to field a candidate following 'attempts to abort the revolution.'

Critics, however, called the move a major blow to democracy.

"Egyptians sacrificed their lives 4 freedom and dignity not 4 military or religious hegemony nor 4 tyranny of majority," Nobel laureate and former presidential candidate Mohamed ElBaradei tweeted.

Kamal Helbawy, a prominent Brotherhood member, publicly resigned on a television talk show, saying that he was disappointed that the group was seeking power the same way Mubarak's National Democratic Party had.

A group of 11 other Islamist organizations also condemned the decision, calling it an affront to the revolution and a "charade" orchestrated by the military to "use the Brotherhood candidate to cover up a wide operation of fraud that will put their candidate in office and entrench their dominance over Egypt for long decades to come."

Meanwhile, the Brotherhood's spokesman, Mahmoud Ghozlan, said he was not surprised by the intense criticism from Brotherhood "enemies."

"Every time we accomplish something, their depression and resentment increases and the campaigns against us intensify," the paper quoted him, as saying. (ANI)