Photo : Messenger
Casting a shadow over party unity, the ruling Awami League (AL) finds itself entangled in a web of internal challenges as the nation gears up for the scheduled January 7 parliamentary polls.
With the main opposition BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) opting to boycott the polls, the AL faces the dual challenge of addressing internal dissent and ensuring a robust voter turnout.
The decision by AL leadership to encourage independent candidacies within the party has opened the floodgates for internal rivalries. A whopping 442 independent candidates from within the AL ranks have thrown their hats into the ring against the officially nominated 300 candidates. This move, seen as an attempt to energize the electorate, has inadvertently sparked tensions within the party.
As the AL continues its third consecutive term in state power, internal discontent has been simmering among some of its members. The recent announcement by party chief Sheikh Hasina, permitting party leaders to contest the polls independently, has provided a platform for disgruntled members to challenge their own party's chosen candidates.
Election Commission (EC) sources, however, said that a staggering 442 independent candidates affiliated with the AL submitted nomination papers to contest against the party's officially nominated 300 candidates in the upcoming polls. This move, aimed at increasing voter participation, has inadvertently heightened tensions within the ruling party.
AL leaders acknowledge the risk of escalating intra-party feuds but argue that boosting voter turnout is crucial for the legitimacy of the upcoming elections. The internal strife poses a challenge for the AL to balance maintaining party unity and ensuring broad public participation in the electoral process.
Speaking to The Daily Messenger, senior AL leaders emphasised the importance of voter turnout, acknowledging that intra-party conflicts might intensify as a result of this strategy.
In Dhaka-2 constituency, the Chairman of Keranigaj Upazila, Shahin Ahmed, has declared his intention to contest independently against the AL's official candidate, Advocate Quamrul Islam. Ahmed cites Sheikh Hasina's approval for independent candidacies as the motivation for his decision.
Sources suggest a longstanding dispute between Ahmed and Islam, with tensions reaching a violent climax in a clash last July that resulted in a fatality.
Faridpur-4 constituency is witnessing high-stakes infighting, with independent lawmaker Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury (Nixon Chowdhury) challenging the party's nominated candidate and AL senior leader Kazi Zafarullah. Exchange of heated statements between the two leaders indicates the intensity of the internal strife.
In Faridpur-3, AK Azad, a local district AL adviser and industrialist, has announced his independent candidacy against the AL-nominated candidate, Faridpur district AL General Secretary Shamim Haque.
In Chattogram, five AL leaders, including former MP Samshul Haque Chowdhury, have decided to run as independent candidates in five constituencies. Their decision further illustrates the widening cracks within the ruling party.
Nevertheless, a comparable scenario is unfolding across nearly every constituency, with AL leaders gearing up to challenge their own party's nominated candidates. This strategic move is aimed at injecting a sense of competition into the electoral landscape and fostering a robust voter turnout.
Despite the internal challenges, AL leaders argue that these independent candidacies are part of an 'election strategy' to inject a sense of competition into the electoral process.
Regarding the head-to-head contest between the party leaders, AL presidium member Jahangir Kabir Nanak said, “it’s our party chief Sheikh Hasina’s decision. as far as I know, AL leaders have been permitted to contest as independent candidates as part of 'election strategy'.”
When contacted, AL organizing secretary BM Mozammel, who was denied the party ticket to contest the upcoming polls, said, “Indeed, intra-party feud may escalate, particularly with the January 7 elections approaching, as some of our party leaders intend to contest against the officially nominated candidates. However, I believe our party chief will find a way to minimise the infighting."
As the January 7 elections approach, Bangladesh awaits the outcome of this unprecedented internal struggle within the ruling AL – with regard to potential implications for the country's political landscape in the post-election period.
Messenger/Disha
