Allies of 14-party alliance seek respectable number of seats
The allies of the governing Awami League led 14-party alliance have been expecting that a respectable number of seats will be shared with them in the forthcoming 12th parliamentary elections.
There are 10 MPs, including two MPs in reserved seats, of the allies in the incumbent parliament.
The allies, however, expect 20 seats this time. But the Awami League told them to wait until 17 December, the deadline of withdrawal of candidature, for sharing seats and finalising the candidates.
Workers’ Party leader Rashed Khan Menon and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JASAD) leader Hasanul Haq Inu held a meeting with AL advisory council member and 14-party alliance coordinator Amir Hossain Amu at his Iskaton residence in the capital on Tuesday afternoon. Later this expectation of the allies was expressed to the newspersons.
Earlier, the alliance leader and AL president Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held a meeting with the 14-party alliance leaders on Monday. From there Amir Hossain Amu was given the responsibility of making decisions regarding seat sharing.
Sources said Workers’ Party and JASAD handed over lists of six seats each to Amu to share with them.
Following the meeting, Rashed Khan Menon told the newspersons that a list has been given on behalf of the alliance. The 14 parties sought a few more seats than previous times.
He further expressed that they discussed maintaining the dignity of the alliance members while making decisions on sharing seats.
Hasanul Haq Inu also told the newspersons that they expect the seat distribution would be dignifying for the alliance.
Informing the media that the alliance’s candidates will contest the election with the “boat” symbol, Inu said the AL candidates will withdraw in the seats where there will be candidates of the alliance.
Speaking about the issue, Amir Hossain Amu told the media, “We shall join the election jointly in a few constituencies. And, the alliance members will contest the election on their own in a few seats. Candidates of the alliance will contest with the boat symbol in the constituencies where we shall join the election jointly. In the remaining seats the members will use their own symbols.”
The 14-party alliance coordinator further remarked that the seat sharing will be fixed upon discussion with the Jatiya Party.
AL will go to the election under the alliance and Awami League will hold a discussion with the JaPa in this regard on Wednesday.
He said that the allies will have to wait until 17 December, the last date of withdrawal of candidature, for sharing seats and finalising the candidates.