AL anxious with ‘managing’ strategy, BNP ‘pins hopes’ with freshers

Election campaign of Awami League and BNP candidates. Photo: Prothom Alo
Election campaign of Awami League and BNP candidates. Photo: Prothom Alo

Ruling Awami League and main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) began electioneering, with a challenge of how to address party fueds in many constituencies before the 30 December ballot.

The AL camp has kept more candidates, especially from major ally Jatiya Party to manoeuvre electoral games in critical constituencies while the BNP is struggling with internal criticism over fielding candidates apart from facing 'fictitious' cases.

Despite enthusiasm about the elections after securing party symbol sheaf of paddy, the BNP candidates were allegedly facing obstructions in different parts of the country, including the latest case of attack on the motorcade of BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Seeing the opposition in 'disarray', the AL camp has allowed Ershad's Jatiya Party to continue with many candidates outside the alliance and in cases its leaders as rebel candidates. They all are contesting with either JaPa polls symbol plough or as independent candidates.

This, ruling party leaders believe, is part of the AL's strategy to use them if needed and possible or persuade them to pull out of race at the last minute if they threaten the prospects of the AL candidates contesting with boat symbol.

However, there are apprehensions among the leaders that such strategy may fail and in that case the party would have to pay a high price.

Meanwhile, there is anger and dissatisfaction among many BNP leaders about seat-sharing with allies and choice of the party's own candidates.

The AL still believes the opposition parties including the BNP may eventually boycott the elections on the plea of absence of level-playing field.

So, the ruling party gave JaPa the go-ahead to keep its candidates in various constituencies so that the party can emerge as the official opposition party should the BNP alliance pull out of the race.

The AL encouraged the religion-based parties to contest with their own party symbols, so that they are not tilted to the opposition camp.

The AL camp further wants to exploit the presence of more candidares by appointing more agents in its favour. The AL, if required, wil provide its own leaders and activists as polling agents for JaPa candidates.

However, the leaders think the party should take action against any candidate within the coalition, who poses threat to its candidate or the one of the grand alliance.

Several leaders of the 14-party alliance and JaPa admitted that many of the parties in the alliance gave nomination to party leaders only to keep them happy.

There were also allegations of ‘nomination trade’ against the JaPa leadership and many JaPa leaders were given nomination on that consideration. The JaPa has fielded candidates in 148 constituencies, going outside the AL fold.

The AL has endorsed 29 JaPa candidates as those of its alliance. However, the list of candidates of the grand alliance suggests the JaPa has got only 26 seats for contesting the polls.

The AL has dearth of confidence in HM Ershad. The AL policymakers believe that JaPa may create trouble in some constituencies and that is why efforts will be made to tame the stronger candidates of JaPa.

JaPa candidates in at least 20 constituencies in the northern region and in more 15-20 constituencies throughout the country, have the capacity to challenge the AL candidates, said a senior leader.

“HM Ershad can do anything, since he is completely unpredictable,” the leader added.

The opposition BNP, however, has raised its hopes by fielding young and new candidates despite some criticism about the policy, party leaders said.

New faces constitute one-third of 242 candidates the BNP has fielded in, out of 300 constituencies. The party has shared 58 seats with the 20-party alliance and Jatiya Oikya Front partners for the contest.

Critics within the party claimed that the BNP has nominated some controversial and weak candidates in some constituencies. They cited the example of nominating Chattogram city leader Abu Sufian in Chittagong-8 dumping former foreign minister and vice chairman of the party M Morshed Khan.

There are 89 candidates who never contested the national polls before. Some of these candidates are wives and family members of the BNP leaders who could not participate in the polls for various reasons.

Several senior leaders of BNP said dissent over nomination is natural. This time around, the party has issued a special directive to its dedicated leaders at the grassroots to welcome the new faces.

BNP standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said the BNP had to make some unavoidable compromise to accomodate the demands of the 20-party alliance and Oikya Front.

“The BNP has nominated more young leaders, women and dedicated leaders from the grassroots this time. I think the nomination has been very good. There are many eligible faces along with the senior leaders,” he added.