Egypt’s ruling NDP has filed complaints against 52 independent candidates in Sunday's parliamentary poll alleging they belong to an illegal organization.

Spokesman, Ali El-Din Hilal, claimed he had evidence that the 52 candidates are not independent contesters, stressing that the regime wanted people to play party politics by creating political parties.

It appeared the NDP spokesman was referring to Muslim Brotherhood members of Egypt's largest opposition force, who have confirmed that they will run for 30% of the seats.
In a statement, the NDP asserted that the failure of legal political parties and society as a whole to confront this matter would be a threat to political life in Egypt. He maintained that the ruling regime would not accept the transformation of Egypt into a religious state adding “We want a system based on citizenship, not on religion". He stressed that his party aims to win a parliamentary majority of more than two thirds.

The comment comes a few days ahead of the election following weeks of violence where the country has witnessed more than 1,300 Muslim Brotherhood supporters arrested and tough restrictions imposed on opposition candidates.

Moreover, dozens of Brotherhood candidates have already been disqualified.
International rights groups slammed the regime’s measures, stressing that repression and intimidation of opposition candidates ahead of the election is widely expected to return the NDP to power.