Egypt: pro-Morsi alliance calls for election boycott

The pro-Morsi National Coalition to Support Legitimacy and Reject the Coup on Thursday called for its followers to continue their public protests and to boycott what they dubbed ''the elections of blood'' for Egypt's next president, to be held on May 26 and 27. Some 53 million Egyptians from 25,343 voting districts will be choosing between former general Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, who deposed Islamist ex president Mohamed Morsi last July, and his sole challenger Hamdeen Sabahi, a Nasserite socialist and poet. ''Those two days will become unforgettable around the world. We will carry photos of our legitimately elected president Mohamed Morsi, of our martyrs and prisoners'', the alliance promised on its Facebook page. The Islamist group condemned both candidates, calling Sabahi ''an extra'' in what they say is a farcical ballot. Also on Thursday, the interior ministry said authorities are prepping for the election with a massive deployment of 400,000 soldiers and police to guarantee security at voting stations during the ballot, during the count and on the streets once the winner is declared. The army said it will deploy some 181,000 units including officers, petty officers and soldiers, MENA news agency reported.