 Several candidates claimed that they were being forced out of the race, including Jassim Abdulaal of the Economists Bloc, by influential clerics who told their congregations whom to vote for.The criticism became more pointed after the Council described Al Wefaq as the 'Bloc of Believers'.The Shia Islamist Al Amal, which has close links with the 'Shirazi faction', was most specific in its criticism.