AL-backed candidates of Jatiya Party!

Many candidates of Jatiya Party including its general secretary Mujibul Hque Chunnu are conducting their election campaigns by inscribing them as ‘Jatiya Party Nominated and Awami League (AL) Backed’ candidates on the party posters. However, the local AL leaders showed serious discontent over this campaign style of Jatiya Party.

Jatiya Party got concession in 26 constituencies from AL; however, they’ve to face strong challenge from the independent candidates of AL, which have become a great concern for Jatiya Party. Hence, in this circumstance, the candidates of the party rely on the AL to come out as winners.

To get extra layer of advantage, they’re introducing themselves as ‘AL-backed candidates’ in the election posters. According to the leaders of Jatiya Party, even the chance of Jatiya Party candidates’ winning in the constituencies that have no boat symbol candidate is very negligible. As AL candidates are not contesting with boat symbols in those constituencies, the probability of Jatiya APrty candidates winning was created. However, the problem is the local AL leaders are also contesting as independent candidates that made the Jatiya Party candidates worried. Hence, they’ve resorted to the technique of introducing themselves as ‘AL-backed Candidate.’

General secretary of the party Mujibul Haque Chunnu is contesting in Kishoreganj-3 constituency on the nomination of Jatiya Party with plow (Langal) symbol. He introduced himself as a 'Jatiya Party nominated' candidate as well as an 'Awami League supported' in his posters. An independent candidate of Awami League has already filed a complaint with the returning officer over the matter.

Karimganj Municipal Awami League President Humayun Kabir Swapan, “This seat has been left for Jatiya Party. There is no nominated candidate of Awami League. However, there are three independent candidates who are involved in Awami League’s politics. So, Chunnu cannot be a candidate supported by Awami League.”

The Jatiya Party leaders and activists claim that the Awami League has withdrawn its candidates by conceding 26 seats to the Jatiya Party. It was done so that the Jatiya Party gets the seats. Now it is natural that Jatiya Party candidates will promote the issue of 'Awami League Backed' candidacy to attract local leaders and activists.

Jatiya Party Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu told the media on Friday about insribing the words 'Awami League Backed.' He said, 'It was written wrongly. New leaflets have already been sent (to Kishoreganj) after correcting the mistakes.”

Not only Mujibul Haque Chunnui, but the current Member of Parliament (MP) of Jatiya Party in Feni-3 Constituency Lieutenant General (Retd.) Masud Uddin Chowdhury has put up posters with pictures of Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina. Many more candidates of Jatiya Party are campaigning themselves as candidates supported by Awami League.

(The report was published in print and online version of The Bangladesh Pratidin and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque Khan)