Upcoming upazila elections: Many equations on AL’s mind
Awami League's strategic decision to not use the party's electoral symbol for the upazila polls candidates is aimed at tackling multiple issues at one go.
On the one hand, the ruling party wants to entice the grassroots leaders of the opposition parties, including BNP, into the electoral race. On the other hand, it wants to allow new and popular second-tier AL leaders to contest the polls, scheduled to be held in phases from May 8.
Making the elections participatory and increasing the turnout are also in AL's mind, according to party insiders.
They said the ruling AL lawmakers are taking the election as an opportunity to tighten their grip on the party units in their constituencies by supporting the candidates loyal to them and working to ensure their smooth victories.
The AL leaders and former MPs, who were defeated by fellow party men in January 7 national polls, are also trying to oppose the candidates loyal to the incumbent lawmakers by fielding candidates of their choice to strengthen their position.
Many AL leaders, however, think the party's strategy will deepen internal feud at the grassroots and that the upazila polls would ultimately turn out to be a battle between "AL versus AL".
"The division in the party grassroots created centering the national polls would deepen further over the upazila elections. The situation has become so dire that local Awami League leaders are socially mingling with the opposition party leaders instead of their party colleagues," a top AL leader from a southern district told The Daily Star wishing anonymity.
According to sources, the AL will neither interfere in the selection of candidates nor in the polls, but it will ensure that no aspirant is elected uncontested.
The ruling party also thinks if BNP formally boycotts the upazila elections, many of its grassroots leaders will run going against the party's decision, which would lead to a chaos in the party's grassroots. If BNP goes tough against those leaders, including expulsion, the party will lose its grip on its grassroots, AL leaders said.
The AL's strategy seems to have worked so far as a good number of leaders of the opposition parties participated in the recently held Cumilla city mayoral by-polls and municipality polls.
In Mymensingh's Trishal municipality, Aminul Islam, former joint convener of BNP's youth front Jubo Dal, became elected mayor, defeating the wife of local independent MP BM Aniszzaman.
Party sources said the upazila elections will help the AL recognise its popular and future leaders. But the AL high-command will not tolerate any violation of party discipline and any statement against the party and the government by the candidates.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the AL president, has already conveyed this message to the grassroots leaders who met her at the Gono Bhaban recently, according to insiders.
However, nepotism by incumbent MPs has already become evident in two recent elections as they picked candidates like a nomination board does.
For instance, the Cumilla City AL declared Tahseen Bahar as the party candidate for the March 9 mayoral by-polls to Cumilla City Corporation.
Tahseen is the organising secretary of Cumilla City AL, while his father Bahauddin Bahar is the president of the same unit and also the local MP. Local AL leader Nurur Rahman Mahmud also contested the election throwing a challenge to his fellow party colleague.
Speaking to The Daily Star, AL Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim recently said, "People will vote for the candidates of their choice. It won't matter who would field whom or whether a candidate is the favorite of an individual. It's not important who has picked an aspirant and how. Voters will decide who will be elected."
He also said there is no problem if the voters and the AL activists jointly extend their support to a particular candidate.
"We will appreciate that. We welcome the candidates who are popular among the voters," he added.