Contesting polls under 14-party alliance

Leaders hell-bent on AL tickets

Leaders of the Awami League's (AL's) alliance partners have started hectic lobbying with ruling party ministers and influential leaders to get tickets for contesting the general election slated for December 30. Talking to leaders of the AL-led 14-party alliance, it was known that some are even writing to alliance chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, seeking AL tickets for contesting the polls. Some alliance partners of the AL want to contest the polls with the AL’s electoral symbol "Nouka" (Boat), while others want to go with their respective electoral symbols.

The Jatiya Party (JP-Ershad) has already made it clear that it wants to contest the election with their "Plough" symbol. Eight components of AL-led 14-party alliance are likely to contest the polls with "Nouka".

The Gana Azadi League has already collected seven nomination forms from the AL. Even the party president, SK Sikder, wrote to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, informing her that they had collected nomination forms from the AL and they want to fight the election with "Boat".

When contacted, SK Sikder told The Independent that he wrote to the alliance chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in this regard. “And I hope our alliance chief will consider our letter and give us her party tickets for the national polls,” he said.

Talking to this correspondent, JP co-chairman GM Quader said they have always been lobbying with the Prime Minister to get more parliamentary seats for their candidates.   

“Our party chairman HM Ershad has been holding talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on seat-sharing. I don’t know anything more,” he said.

 Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon said they are continuously lobbying

with the ruling party on the seat-sharing issue. “We are waiting for our alliance chief’s decision on how many seats she will give us,” he said. The left political party has sought 15 seats.   

Ganatantri Party presidium member, Nurur Rahman Selim, said they are holding talks with the 14-party coordinator Mohammad Nasim on the seat-sharing issue. “I hope it will be settled within a week,” he added.

The AL’s partners want up to 116 seats, while the JP alone is seeking 100, sources said. The AL may set aside about 70 seats for its allies, with up to 40 for the JP. The JP has 29 MPs in the current Parliament. AL general secretary Obaidul Quader himself hinted on Thursday that they would share 65-70 seats with their allies.

AL nomination-seekers are also carrying out hectic lobbying with party ministers and influential leaders to get the much-coveted symbol “Nouka” to fight the general election.

The party’s central leaders who have already collected AL nomination forms have been making a beeline for Ganabhaban, the official residence of Prime minister Sheikh Hasina, while young leaders are lobbying with influential leaders to get party tickets.

Almost all central leaders gather at Ganabhaban in the evening to visit party chief Sheikh Hasina, insiders said. Seeking anonymity, an AL central working committee member who has already collected nomination form, told The Independent that he goes to Ganabhaban everyday in the evening. He thinks if he meets the party chief once a day, she will definitely think about him.

“And I hope my leader will give me her party ticket to contest the polls,” he added. “I know that nomination will be given by the party chief and I have no way to meet her. That’s why I am lobbying with some influential leaders so that they place my case before the party chief,” said a MP aspirant.

Sheikh Hasina has already told the AL nomination seekers that party nominations will be given to competent, popular and dedicated party leaders based on survey reports conducted by her through intelligence agencies.

On Wednesday, Sheikh Hasina made the aspirants, who came from across the country, promise to work for party-nominated candidates saying that none of them will be allowed to contest against the “Nouka” in the polls.

A total of 4,037 AL aspirants collected party nomination forms for the 11th parliamentary election set for December 30. This works out to an average of 13 hopefuls in each of the 300 constituencies.

Contesting polls under 14-party alliance

Leaders hell-bent on AL tickets

Leaders of the Awami Leagues (ALs) alliance partners have started hectic lobbying with ruling party ministers and influential leaders to get tickets for contesting the general election slated for December 30. Talking to leaders of the AL-led 14-party alliance, it was known that some are even writing to alliance chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, seeking AL tickets for contesting the polls. Some alliance partners of the AL want to contest the polls with the ALs electoral symbol Nouka (Boat), while others want to go with their respective electoral symbols. The Jatiya Party (JP-Ershad) has already made it clear that it wants to contest the election with their Plough symbol. Eight components of AL-led 14-party alliance are likely to contest the polls with Nouka. The Gana Azadi League has already collected seven nomination forms from the AL. Even the party president, SK Sikder, wrote to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, informing her that they had collected nomination forms from the AL and they want to fight the election with Boat. When contacted, SK Sikder told The Independent that he wrote to the alliance chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in this regard. And I hope our alliance chief will consider our letter and give us her party tickets for the national polls, he said. Talking to this correspondent, JP co-chairman GM Quader said they have always been lobbying with the Prime Minister to get more parliamentary seats for their candidates. Our party chairman HM Ershad has been holding talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on seat-sharing. I dont know anything more, he said. Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon said they are continuously lobbying with the ruling party on the seat-sharing issue. We are waiting for our alliance chiefs decision on how many seats she will give us, he said. The left political party has sought 15 seats. Ganatantri Party presidium member, Nurur Rahman Selim, said they are holding talks with the 14-party coordinator Mohammad Nasim on the seat-sharing issue. I hope it will be settled within a week, he added. The ALs partners want up to 116 seats, while the JP alone is seeking 100, sources said. The AL may set aside about 70 seats for its allies, with up to 40 for the JP. The JP has 29 MPs in the current Parliament. AL general secretary Obaidul Quader himself hinted on Thursday that they would share 65-70 seats with their allies. AL nomination-seekers are also carrying out hectic lobbying with party ministers and influential leaders to get the much-coveted symbol Nouka to fight the general election. The partys central leaders who have already collected AL nomination forms have been making a beeline for Ganabhaban, the official residence of Prime minister Sheikh Hasina, while young leaders are lobbying with influential leaders to get party tickets. Almost all central leaders gather at Ganabhaban in the evening to visit party chief Sheikh Hasina, insiders said. Seeking anonymity, an AL central working committee member who has already collected nomination form, told The Independent that he goes to Ganabhaban everyday in the evening. He thinks if he meets the party chief once a day, she will definitely think about him. And I hope my leader will give me her party ticket to contest the polls, he added. I know that nomination will be given by the party chief and I have no way to meet her. Thats why I am lobbying with some influential leaders so that they place my case before the party chief, said a MP aspirant. Sheikh Hasina has already told the AL nomination seekers that party nominations will be given to competent, popular and dedicated party leaders based on survey reports conducted by her through intelligence agencies. On Wednesday, Sheikh Hasina made the aspirants, who came from across the country, promise to work for party-nominated candidates saying that none of them will be allowed to contest against the Nouka in the polls. A total of 4,037 AL aspirants collected party nomination forms for the 11th parliamentary election set for December 30. This works out to an average of 13 hopefuls in each of the 300 constituencies.