No smooth sailing for 14-party alliance 'boat' candidates

Leaders of 14-party alliance partners are not getting support from local units of Awami League although they are contesting the election with the ruling party’s electoral symbol boat. They are also facing stiff challenges from the Awami League leaders contesting as independent candidates. Given the situation, how many of the alliance partners would be able to pass the hurdles of the election has become a big question.

AL is participating in the upcoming 12th parliamentary election in coalition. AL withdrew its candidates in six constituencies for leaders of the 14-party alliance.  Of them, JASAD got three candidates in Kushtia-2, Bogura-4 and Lakkhipur-4 constituencies. Workers' Party got nominations in Barishal-2 and Rajshahi-2 seats and JP received one in Pirojpur-2. Top leaders of the alliance are contesting under the ruling party’s symbol boat in these constituencies.

AL took up the strategy of fielding independent candidates so that the majority of lawmakers do not get elected unopposed like in 2014. This strategy has hindered the smooth sailing of the leaders of the 14-party alliance. They wanted AL to withdraw its independent candidates too in these seats, but the ruling party didn’t budge.

JASAD president Hasanul Haq Inu is contesting as 'boat' candidate from Kushtia-2 (Mirpur and Bheramara). Mirpur upazila AL general secretary Kamarul Arefin is an independent in this seat. He recently resigned from upazila chairman post to contest in the national election. All but a few leaders of AL’s two upazila units are working for Kamarul.

Hasanul Haq Inu told Prothom Alo that he has to fight against the alliance partner in the electoral field.

He said they are still requesting that no AL candidate contest in the election as an independent candidate as it is creating political confusion.
Inu, however, said he is not having trouble in electioneering.

Mirpur upazila AL president Abdul Alim said, “The party chief has made it clear that independent candidates can contest. We have to ensure massive turnout in the polls. That’s why we are working to ensure the win of Awami League’s independent candidate.”

Workers' Party president Rashed Khan Menon, another top leader of the alliance, is competing as boat candidate from Barishal-2 (Banaripara-Ujirpur) constituency. Two AL leaders are contesting in the polls in this seat. They are: Banaripara upazila AL’s advisory committee member and former lawmaker Manirul Islam and upazila unit’s member Faiyazul Haque. Menon is unlikely to get an easy win as a large portion of grassroots workers of AL are with these two leaders.

Banaripara upazila AL’s former president Tazer Ali told Prothom Alo that Rashed Khan Menon is a national leader but has no significant contact with the residents of the constituency. So, he might face stiff competition in the vote.

Menon’s supporters, however, said initial inertia has dissipated and the situation is coming to their favou'r as days go by.

Banaripara upazila AL's general secretary Mawlad  Hossain told Prothom Alo that who is the candidate is not an issue but what symbol he is carrying is. 'Boat' is Sheikh Hasina’s symbol, so going against this symbol is out of the question.

He admitted there are some problems but said they are trying to solve these.

Another top leader of the alliance, JP leader Anwar Hossain Manju is contesting as the boat candidate from Pirojpur-2 (Kawkhali, Bhandaria, Nesarabad) constituency. AL’s joint general secretary of district unit and former chairman of Zila Parishad Mohiuddin Maharaj is contesting in the polls as an independent candidate. Although Manju is contesting with the 'boat' symbol, most of the leaders-activists of ruling AL are not with him. They are working with independent candidate Maharaj.

However, Kawkhali upazila AL president AKM Abdus Shahid and Nesarabad upazila AL president Syed Sahid Ul Ahsan are working in favor of Manju.

JASAD’s vice president Mosharraf Hossain is running for Lakkhipur-4 with the boat symbol. Most of the AL leaders of the constituency are supporting two independent candidates. Workers Party general secretary Fazle Hossain Badsha is not getting AL men behind him. Rajshahi city AL’s vice president Shafiqur Rahman is contesting as an independent candidate against Badsha. City unit AL has already made an announcement to back independent Shafiqur.

JASAD’s Rezaul Karim Tansen is the 14-party alliance candidate for Bogura-4 (Kahalu-Nandigram) constituency. AL men are yet to start electioneering in support of Tansen.