Grassroots AL against partisan UP polls

�ALCWC to discuss issue in next meet�

Even as the Awami League (AL)-led government prepares to hold all local government elections in a partisan manner, many AL grassroots leaders have said they prefer non-partisan polls, at least at the Union Parishad (UP) level. The leaders opined that the decision to hold all local body elections under party banners should be reconsidered, as it would lead to intra-party feud and difficulty in ensuring single candidates for polls. Several grassroots leaders told The Independent that if partisan system is to be applied to the local government elections, it should be restricted to municipalities and not to Union Parishad.
On October 31, some Sylhet unit AL leaders led by Party Central Organising Secretary Mizbahuddin Siraj had met AL General Secretary and Public Administration Minister Syed Ashraful Islam during his brief stopover at Sylhet Osmani International Airport on his way back from London.
While discussing the current political situation with Ashraful, they also touched upon upcoming local government polls requesting the minister to discuss at relevant party forums the holding of Union Parishad elections in a non-partisan manner.
When contacted, Misbahuddin said that they had requested Ashraful to reconsider government decision to hold Union Parishad polls in a partisan manner. “We have informed our leader that many local leaders want that Union Parishad polls be held in a non-partisan manner,” he said and added that they would discuss the matter with Prime Minister and AL Chief Sheikh Hasina in the next AL Central Working Committee (ALCWC) meeting.
Sylhet city AL President Badar Uddin Ahmad Kamran, who was also present during the meeting, told this Correspondent that they had discussed with Syed Ashraf the merits and demerits of holding local government elections in a partisan manner.
Kamran said the context of local government and parliamentary polls is not the same and it is not easy to select a single candidate in local government elections unlike parliamentary polls. He said if local body polls are held in a partisan manner, it will be difficult for party leaders to test their individual
popularity as they will have to obey party instructions.
“Besides, it is seen that in local body elections, especially in Union Parishad polls, there is competition between relatives which is why if polls are held in a partisan manner, there is a chance of conflict among relatives. So, I think our top-level leaders should rethink the decision,” said Badar.
Abu Shufian Shafique, an incumbent AL-backed Union Parishad Chairman of Bogra Sadar said, “It is not wise to extend the partisan system up to grassroots’ level i.e. Union Parishad polls. The government should limit the same to civic polls only.” Replying to a question, he said there will be many problems if Union Parishad elections are held in a partisan manner.
Yakub Ali, another union-level AL leader of Bogra, said, “The government should reconsider its decision of holding Union Parishad polls under the partisan system, which only leads to intra-party conflict.”
Barisal district unit AL President Moklesur Rahman yesterday said all local government elections should be held in a non-partisan manner.
“I think our top leadership should rethink the issue. Not only the Union Parishad polls, but all other local government polls should be held in a non-partisan manner,” he said, adding that no system would work if we are not honest. Dinajpur district unit AL leader Md Shariful Ahsan Lal said the government’s move to hold all the local government elections under a partisan system is good but added that the system should be introduced gradually.
“That’s mean firstly the system should have limited up to civic polls, then it should introduce at the grassroots level gradually,” he added.    
“Firstly, the system should be limited up to civic polls. Then it should be gradually extended up to the grassroots level,” he added.        
Joypurhat district AL leader SM Solaiman Ali said he welcomes the government’s decision. However, he said local body polls under a partisan system have their own merits and demerits. AL Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif said, “An elaborate discussion on the coming local government polls will be held at the next ALCWC meeting to be held at the end of this month.”
However, after assuming power in 2009, AL has been advocating partisan local body polls. On February 12 last year, the AL Central Working Committee, the party’s highest decision-making body, unanimously agreed that all local body polls should be held under partisan basis.
Meanwhile, an ordinance amending local government laws has already been promulgated to hold municipality polls in a partisan manner. Here on, political parties registered with the Election Commission will nominate candidates who will contest municipality elections with their parties’ electoral symbols just as in parliamentary polls. On October 12, the cabinet had approved a proposal to amend local government laws for holding elections to local government bodies including Union Parishads, municipalities, upazilas and city corporations in a partisan manner. Of the 317 municipalities, 245 are supposed to go to polls next month, said EC officials.

 

Grassroots AL against partisan UP polls

�ALCWC to discuss issue in next meet�

Even as the Awami League (AL)-led government prepares to hold all local government elections in a partisan manner, many AL grassroots leaders have said they prefer non-partisan polls, at least at the Union Parishad (UP) level. The leaders opined that the decision to hold all local body elections under party banners should be reconsidered, as it would lead to intra-party feud and difficulty in ensuring single candidates for polls. Several grassroots leaders told The Independent that if partisan system is to be applied to the local government elections, it should be restricted to municipalities and not to Union Parishad. On October 31, some Sylhet unit AL leaders led by Party Central Organising Secretary Mizbahuddin Siraj had met AL General Secretary and Public Administration Minister Syed Ashraful Islam during his brief stopover at Sylhet Osmani International Airport on his way back from London. While discussing the current political situation with Ashraful, they also touched upon upcoming local government polls requesting the minister to discuss at relevant party forums the holding of Union Parishad elections in a non-partisan manner. When contacted, Misbahuddin said that they had requested Ashraful to reconsider government decision to hold Union Parishad polls in a partisan manner. We have informed our leader that many local leaders want that Union Parishad polls be held in a non-partisan manner, he said and added that they would discuss the matter with Prime Minister and AL Chief Sheikh Hasina in the next AL Central Working Committee (ALCWC) meeting. Sylhet city AL President Badar Uddin Ahmad Kamran, who was also present during the meeting, told this Correspondent that they had discussed with Syed Ashraf the merits and demerits of holding local government elections in a partisan manner. Kamran said the context of local government and parliamentary polls is not the same and it is not easy to select a single candidate in local government elections unlike parliamentary polls. He said if local body polls are held in a partisan manner, it will be difficult for party leaders to test their individual popularity as they will have to obey party instructions. Besides, it is seen that in local body elections, especially in Union Parishad polls, there is competition between relatives which is why if polls are held in a partisan manner, there is a chance of conflict among relatives. So, I think our top-level leaders should rethink the decision, said Badar. Abu Shufian Shafique, an incumbent AL-backed Union Parishad Chairman of Bogra Sadar said, It is not wise to extend the partisan system up to grassroots level i.e. Union Parishad polls. The government should limit the same to civic polls only. Replying to a question, he said there will be many problems if Union Parishad elections are held in a partisan manner. Yakub Ali, another union-level AL leader of Bogra, said, The government should reconsider its decision of holding Union Parishad polls under the partisan system, which only leads to intra-party conflict. Barisal district unit AL President Moklesur Rahman yesterday said all local government elections should be held in a non-partisan manner. I think our top leadership should rethink the issue. Not only the Union Parishad polls, but all other local government polls should be held in a non-partisan manner, he said, adding that no system would work if we are not honest. Dinajpur district unit AL leader Md Shariful Ahsan Lal said the governments move to hold all the local government elections under a partisan system is good but added that the system should be introduced gradually. Thats mean firstly the system should have limited up to civic polls, then it should introduce at the grassroots level gradually, he added. Firstly, the system should be limited up to civic polls. Then it should be gradually extended up to the grassroots level, he added. Joypurhat district AL leader SM Solaiman Ali said he welcomes the governments decision. However, he said local body polls under a partisan system have their own merits and demerits. AL Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif said, An elaborate discussion on the coming local government polls will be held at the next ALCWC meeting to be held at the end of this month. However, after assuming power in 2009, AL has been advocating partisan local body polls. On February 12 last year, the AL Central Working Committee, the partys highest decision-making body, unanimously agreed that all local body polls should be held under partisan basis. Meanwhile, an ordinance amending local government laws has already been promulgated to hold municipality polls in a partisan manner. Here on, political parties registered with the Election Commission will nominate candidates who will contest municipality elections with their parties electoral symbols just as in parliamentary polls. On October 12, the cabinet had approved a proposal to amend local government laws for holding elections to local government bodies including Union Parishads, municipalities, upazilas and city corporations in a partisan manner. Of the 317 municipalities, 245 are supposed to go to polls next month, said EC officials.