Upazila Elections: Frantic lobbying in AL for tickets

Local leaders of the ruling Awami League are hectically lobbying party high-ups and lawmakers to secure party nominations for the upcoming upazila parishad elections.

Boosted by the party's success in the recent parliamentary polls, they have already started informal campaigns for the local body polls to be held in a partisan manner for the first time.

They are also holding meetings with party men and carrying out mass contacts in their upazilas.

But the picture is completely different in the BNP camp. The grassroots leaders of the party are in confusion over their party's participation in the polls. 

Meanwhile, the Jatiya Party, the main opposition in parliament, has decided to take part in the polls.

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, acting JP chairman GM Quader said the party high-ups have asked the nomination aspirants to submit their curriculum vitae.

The Election Commission may announce the schedule for the elections in the first week of next month.

The polls in 480 of the 492 upazilas are likely to be held in phases from the first week of March, EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said at a press conference on January 14.

According to a rough estimate, more than Tk 500 crore will be required to hold the elections, said EC officials.

For the first time in the country's history, political parties will nominate aspirants in the upazila parishad polls, they mentioned.

In 2014, elections in 487 upazilas were held in six phases between February and May.

According to Upazila Parishad Act 2009, elections will be held for three posts -- chairman, vice chairman and vice chairwoman.

As per the act, the mayors of municipalities, chairmen of union parishads and members in seats reserved for women in both municipalities and union parishads automatically become members of an upazila parishad.

Talking to reporters last week, AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader said the AL would participate in the upazila elections under the banner of the party, not that of the grand alliance.

In every upazila, multiple AL candidates are active to get the party ticket.

Local senior leaders say nominations would be given to those who maintain regular contact with grassroots people, and the opinion of grassroots leaders and activists would get priority in this regard.

“Upazila chairmen must be connected with people, and that is why we will prefer those who are committed to grassroots-level politics,” said Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, AL central committee member and Sylhet city unit president.

AL leaders in some districts said nominations would be awarded on the basis of political performance of local leaders in the last couple of years. 

Those who worked hard to ensure victory of the party candidates in the December 30 election will get priority in getting nomination for the upazila elections, said Azizul Imam Chowdhury, general secretary of Dinajpur district AL.

Local leaders and activists in big numbers are thronging AL unit offices to have discussions about possible candidates and the upcoming polls. 

Nomination aspirants are visiting the houses of local lawmakers and senior AL leaders, thinking that they would play an important role in the selection of the candidates.

“The grassroots leaders and activists are enthusiastic following the party's landslide victory in the parliamentary election. They are confident that if they get the party ticket, they will win,” said Arunangshu Datta Tito, president of Thakurgaon Sadar upazila AL and nomination aspirant for the post of upazila chairman.

Another chairman aspirant, Bagha upazila AL General Secretary Ashraful Islam, said, “I visit at least one union every day and hold meetings with ward-level leaders and activists.”

Tauhidul Islam, president of Atwary upazila AL in Panchagarh, said, “We have started communicating with grassroots activists, and we are very confident of victory.”

But things are different for local BNP leaders as the party is yet to decide whether it will participate in the elections.

The issue has been discussed in the party forum several times, and most of its senior leaders are against taking part in the polls.

If any party man wants to contest the polls independently, the party will not object. But it will not extend support to anyone formally, said party insiders.

BNP men are busy fighting legal battles as many of them have been accused in cases in many districts. They are not carrying out any activities relating to the upazila polls, according to reports from our correspondents in six districts.

“Most of our party men have to appear in court every day. How can we contest the elections?” asked Thakurgaon district BNP President Toimur Rahman, who himself is facing lawsuits.

“Our local party men are not willing to contest the upazila polls after the experience in the recent parliamentary election,” said Khulna district BNP President Shafiqul Alom Mona.

Echoing his view, Abu Sufian, vice president of Chattogram city BNP, said, “There is no congenial atmosphere to join any polls under this government and this Election Commission.”

“It has been proved through the parliamentary polls,” he added.

However, BNP men in some areas are interested to contest the elections and are confident of victory.

Abdul Hakim, Gowainghat upazila parishad chairman and vice president of Sylhet district BNP, said that with the backing of his party, he was elected chairman in the last two elections, and worked for the people.

“If my party decides to participate in the upazila polls, I believe it will win in my upazila,” he added.

[Our correspondents from Chattogram, Thakurgaon, Khulna, Rajshahi, Dinajpur and Sylhet contributed to the story.]