The battle of two Badshas

The Rajshahi-2 (Rajshahi city) constituency has become the battleground of two Badshas.

Bangladesh Workers' Party's general secretary and three-time lawmaker Fazle Hossain Badsha is vying in the polls with Awami League's "boat" symbol from the AL-led 14-party alliance.

Meanwhile, AL's Rajshahi city unit's senior vice president Shafiqur Rahman Badsha, a teacher by profession, is contesting independently with the symbol "scissor".

While Fazle Hossain's chances of winning largely depend on the support of AL's grassroots leaders and activists in the constituency, he has been unable to bag their support till yesterday.

Instead, the local AL men are siding with Shafiqur Rahman, according to insiders of both AL and Workers' Party.

Since the beginning of electioneering on Monday, no local AL activists were seen at Fazle Hossain's campaign. They were seen working for Shafiqur Rahman.

"Local Awami League leaders and activists are supporting me to protect the party's existence in the city," said Shafiqur Rahman.

"I don't think it is right to say that the 14-party alliance will break if the ruling party men do not support the candidate with 'boat' symbol in the election here. The alliance was formed to fight the anti-liberation forces together, it is not an electoral alliance," he also said.

Other aspirants from the seat include Saiful Islam Swapan of Jatiya Party, Abdullah Al Masud Siddiki Shibli of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Yasir Alif Bin Habib of Bangladesh Sangskritik Mukti Jote, Md Kamrul Hasan of Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Andolon, and Maruf Shahriar of Bangladesh Congress.

Recently, AL presidium member AHM Khairuzzaman Liton said, "Someone (Fazle) who was not found anywhere for the last 15 years, now comes to contest with 'boat' and tells people not to forget him… to give him another chance..."

Liton also said he spent the last 40 years organising the party in Rajshahi city, and he will not allow anyone to destroy the party's stronghold there.

"His [Liton's] speech is a clear sign that local Awami League men won't support us," said a top Workers' Party leader in Rajshahi.

"We met Liton at his office on Thursday afternoon. But he told us to contest the polls with our own ability," he added.

Earlier, Rajshahi city AL president Mohammad Ali Kamal was given AL's nomination with "boat" symbol in the constituency. Later, Kamal was dropped to pave the way for Fazle Hossain.

Workers' Party leaders said they would try to get local AL's support till December 25, then they would decide their next course of action.