AL’s allies unsure of win, worried over independent candidates

The allies of Awami League (AL) in 14-party alliance didn’t get the assurance to win in upcoming 12^th national elections even after having the boat symbol. As the ruling party wants competitive elections, they don’t want to ask the independent candidates to withdraw themselves from the elections. Hence, the alliance-partners are worried about their winning possibility even after getting the boat symbol.

Regarding the matter, the Jatiya Party (JP) general secretary Sheikh Shahidul Islam told The Bangladesh Pratidin, “The candidates of the 14-party alliance will have the boat symbol. However, other candidates of alliance-parties will contest with their own party-symbol. If there’s independent candidate in any constitution, the candidate with the boat symbol will face difficulty to come out as winner. If any candidate is unable to overcome the challenge, then its to be assumed that he/she doesn’t have the capacity to win the polls.”

According to the sources, AL president, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday held a meeting with 14-party alliance members in her official residence Ganabhaban. On the meeting, the alliance-partners conveyed their opinion about contesting on polls in alliance what they had done previously. Sheikh Hasina also assured them about it. However, she doesn’t want to ask to withdraw any candidate.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wants contested and competitive elections. Awami League won’t ask anyone who has stood as an independent candidate. Here is the fear of partners. Even if they get the boat symbol of the alliance in the polling field, they are not guaranteed victory. There are many strong independent candidates in coalition seats, with whom it will be very hard to come out as the winner.

Last Tuesday afternoon, the top leaders of some of the alliance's parties met with the coordinator of the alliance, Amir Hossain Amu. In that meeting, the leaders of the partner parties of the alliance expressed their objections regarding the independent candidates of Awami League. Coming out of the meeting, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasad president Hasanul Haque Inu said, “The candidate of Awami League will win where there’s candidate of the alliance. There will be confusion if there is an independent candidate from Awami League contest in that particular constituency. AL has been saying since the beginning that they will not ask to withdraw independent candidates as they want competitive elections. In that case, if independent candidates are to be seated, it has to be done in 300 seats. This can have a negative impact on the alliance.”

Regarding the distribution of seats with 14 parties-alliance, AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader has said several times that they wouldn’t ask the independent candidates to withdraw themselves.

He said, “Since there is an alliance, some seats will be shared. But we cannot support any candidate who will not win. Not just compromising with the alliances, support will be given to the candidate who will get elected. Nominating only for the sake of coalition will not do justice to democracy.”

But, questions remains on what will happen to the alliance candidates? When asked whether there will be any crisis if an independent candidate is in the field, Tarikat Federation Chairman Syed Najibul Bashar Maijbhandari told The Bangladesh Pratidin, “We won’t do elections with a boat symbol as a candidate of the alliance. Those who have been given boats will be withdrawn.”

When asked whether the presence of independent candidates will be obstacle for them to win, he said, “The necessity of the alliance hasn’t been finished. The party is small but the alliance is very big. There are requirements. The importance is very high. So I hope Awami League will take a decision regarding independent candidates as well.”

(The report was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on December 9 and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque)