25 sitting MPs may not get AL ticket

Around 25 lawmakers from the ruling Awami League may not get party tickets to contest the December 30 national election.

The party may come up with this decision considering intra-party conflicts in their constituencies, seat-sharing equation in the AL-led grand alliance and also for making way for businesspeople and professionals to join the election race, said two party leaders following an Awami League Parliamentary Board meeting last night.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the chief of the ALPB, presided over the meeting at the Gono Bhaban.

They did not disclose any name.

Talking to The Daily Star, the two members of the ALPB said the Board had almost finalised the names of candidates in the polls.

“Candidates in all the constituencies, except eight to 10, have been chosen. The Board has given party chief Sheikh Hasina the responsibility to pick the candidates in those constituencies,” one of the leaders said.

However, the party would delay announcing the names of all the candidates due to “strategic reasons”, said the leader, wishing not to be named. 

Replying to a query, the leader said informal talks over seat-sharing with Jatiya Party were underway. “More talks will be held with Jatiya Party soon to settle the issue,” he added.