The results of the second phase union parishad (UP) elections have raised questions about Awami League’s nomination process.
According to the latest figures of the UP polls, 'rebel' candidates have been elected as the chairmen in some 206 unions contesting against the Awami League nominated candidates. Apart from that, BNP leaders have won in 64 unions contesting as independent candidates in the polls.
The elections to 834 unions were held on Thursday. In a number of unions, the poll results were postponed due to irregularities, vandalism and clashes. Prothom Alo has analysed the results of 745 UP polls.
It shows that the Awami League-nominated candidates have been elected as UP chairmen in 411 unions while the rebel candidates have won in 206. The BNP candidates have won in some 64 unions contesting independently. Besides, other independent candidates and candidates of several parties including Jatiya Party (JaPa), Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Andolon have won in 64 unions.
Tahmina Siddique, president of Kalkini upazila Awami League, thinks the failure of the party nominated-candidates in the polls came as a result of nomination 'business'. She is also a member of parliament (MP) from the reserved women seats.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, Tahmina Siddique said, “The list of the candidates that we sent to the centre from upazila Awami League was altered. Even at that time, we complained that an influential person had nominated the candidates arbitrarily in exchange of money. It is not the Awami League, but this nomination 'business' which was defeated in the polls.”
The elections to some 13 unions in Kalkini and Dasar upazila of Madaripur were held during the second phase and Awami League candidates have won only in four of those. The rebel candidates have won in eight UPs and an independent candidate was elected in one.
Naogaon saw almost the same poll results as Madaripur. In the 2016 UP polls, Awami League won the election in 11 of the 12 unions in Naogaon Sadar upazila. The number has come down to six this time. Of these, the rebel candidates have won in Dubolhati, Hansaigari and Kirtipur union and in Shailagacchi, Baktarpur and Hapania union, local BNP leaders have won contesting as independent candidates.
Regarding failure of the party-nominated candidates, Naogaon Sadar upazila Awami League’s Mahbubul Haque told Prothom Alo that due to the rebel candidates the votes had been divided. This was one of the main reasons behind the party’s failure in the polls. These issues would be discussed at the party forum and organisational steps would be taken accordingly.
Although the Awami League candidates won in six of the 13 unions of Nasirnagar upazila in Brahmanbaria, they lost in eight.
The rebel candidates have won in Gokarna, Haripur and Chatolpar union of the upazila, the BNP backed independent candidates have secured the UP polls in Dharmandal, Burishwar and Goalnagar while an independent candidate has won in Kunda.
The independent candidates have won the polls in eight of the 14 unions in Begumganj upazila of Noakhali. Of these, Awami League candidates were defeated by the rebel candidates in five UPs. Three local BNP leaders have secured the polls in the three remaining unions. Of them, a BNP leader named Baharul Islam has won the election while imprisoned. He is accused of vandalising the temples during Durga Puja.
The poll results were disastrous for Awami League in the 20 unions of Fulbaria and Dhobaura upazila in Mymensingh as well. The rebel candidates have won in only five unions in the two upazilas altogether. The rebel and independent candidates have won in 13 of the remaining 15 unions. The results of Kushmail and Baghber UP of two upazilas have been postponed. Awami League's rebel candidates are leading in both these unions.
Priyotosh Biswas, general secretary of upzila Awami League, said incompetent candidates had been chosen by means of nomination 'business'. As a result, they were not accepted by the local leaders and activists.
The Awami League nominated candidates have won the polls in only two of the seven unions of Tentulia upazila in Panchagarh. Three BNP leaders and two rebel candidates have won the poll in the remaining five UPs. However, in all the unions, the BNP-backed independent candidates were Awami League’s main rival.
The Awami League nominated candidates have been defeated in 10 out of 13 unions of Satkhira Sadar upazila. In one of these unions, a Jamaat-backed candidate has won as well as two BNP leaders in two UPs and two independent candidates in two. The Awami League nominated contestants secured the remaining five unions.
Similarly in Gaibandha Sadar, Awami League has won the polls in only three of the 13 unions. The rebel candidates have won in four of the remaining 10 UPs and independent candidates have won in six. A local leader of Jamaat has won as an independent candidate in Laxmipur union.
Regarding the defeat of Awami League nominated candidates, Gaibandha Sadar upazila Awami League president Rezaul Karim told Prothom Alo, “Even if the the party symbol is being used in UP polls, the local influence of the candidates cannot be ignored. Here, voters do not vote just by looking at the symbol. In addition, many activists of the Awami League did not work properly for the party nominated candidates.”
[The staff correspondents and correspondents of concerned area has helped in making this report]