Jatiyo Party barely on campaign trail
Candidates of Jatiyo Party, the main opposition party in parliament, are vying for 265 seats on paper, but most of them are not campaigning.
This is because many aspirants think the party is not strong enough to contest the polls in so many constituencies. Some others say they are not wooing voters because it seems to them the January 7 election is going to be a lopsided one.
Some 20 JP candidates have so far "pulled out" out of frustration that party high-ups, including Chairman GM Quader and Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu, are not assisting them. Several others said they would not take part in the "farcical election".
A number of aspirants did not even inform the party high-ups about their decisions before announcing their "withdrawals", JP insiders say.
However, their names will be on the ballots as the deadline for withdrawal of nomination papers expired on December 17.
Several more JP nominees are thinking about quitting the race, say insiders.
On Sunday, JP candidates Iqbal Hossain (Barishal-2 and 5), Kholilur Rahman (Borguna-1) and SM Niaz Uddin (Gazipur-1 and 5) announced that they would not run.
Iqbal, an adviser to the JP chairman, at a views-exchange meeting on Sunday said it seems the Election Commission is under the control of the government and the election is going to be a farcical one.
Kholilur, joint convener of Barguna district JP, told The Daily Star that some aspirants in their posters said they are supported by the Awami League while some others even printed photos of AL President Sheikh Hasina on their posters.
"If this needs to be done, then who are we?" he questioned.
Kholilur also said they were facing criticism over the party candidates' campaign strategy.
"People are not willing to cast votes for us. That's why I have decided to quit," he added.
In Brahmanbaria-1, JP candidate Shahanul Karim quit last week and extended his support to independent Syed AK Ekramuzzaman, an expelled leader of the BNP.
After a series of discussions between the top leaders of the AL and the JP, the ruling party left 26 seats for the main opposition party.
The JP on December 17 announced that it will run. Party leaders on that day said they were hopeful of assuming power by winning the polls.
According to JP insiders, apart from the 26 seats left by the AL, JP nominees are campaigning in only 10 to 15 constituencies.
Most of the JP candidates are worried about losing their security deposits, they added.
MP hopefuls were required to deposit Tk 20,000 as security money to the Election Commission.
Several JP candidates alleged that party Chairman Quader and Secretary General Chunnu were not looking after them as they were mostly busy in campaigning in their own constituencies.
"As the chairman and the secretary general of the party, GM Quader and Mujibul Haque Chunnu should look after all the party candidates. But they are not doing so. Rather, they are busy seeking votes for themselves," said Shafiqul Islam Sentu, a praesidium member of the JP.
The JP's election conducting committee, led by Chunnu, is also not providing necessary support to its aspirants, alleged several candidates.
A JP leader, wishing anonymity, said most of the grassroots leaders are unwilling to campaign for the party candidates as they are against the "one-sided election".
Asked about the reasons for JP candidates withdrawing, Quader yesterday told reporters in Rangpur city that withdrawal can take place due to many reasons, including threat of reprisal, intimidation, or financial constraints.
Out of the 21 seats in Barishal division, JP candidates are campaigning in only 3 to 4 constituencies, reports our local correspondent.