The ruling Awami League (AL) is almost ready to contest under the party banner, the upcoming first phase of Union Parishad (Council) elections likely to be held in March-end. Union Parishad (UP) elections will be the second local government elections to be held under party banner in the country’s political history. Contesting the upcoming UP elections in a partisan manner, AL has also decided to contest them unilaterally as there is no reason to contest the polls along with its alliance partners.
Several senior AL leaders told this correspondent that they are confident their party-nominated candidates will replicate the victory of the recently held municipality polls in the upcoming UP elections too. In the Pourasabha elections held at the fag end of 2015, the ruling AL secured a landslide victory despite the country’s only other major political party, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), rejecting the polls, alleging unfair practices and irregularities.
Asked about preparations for the first phase of UP elections, AL central leaders said they are almost ready to contest the polls and that the nomination process for party candidates will remain almost the same as in the municipality elections.
During the municipality elections, AL had formed a nomination board comprising central leaders, including its parliamentary board members. The party had also formed seven committees comprising its organising secretaries, who were instructed to zero in on competent and popular candidates.
Further, AL had formed a monitoring cell - directed by AL Presidium member and Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader and AL Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif - to monitor activities of its organising secretaries. When contacted, Hanif said the nomination and other processes for selection of suitable candidates will remain the same although a decision is yet to be taken in this regard.
“I hope the nomination process for selecting suitable candidates will remain unchanged in the upcoming UP elections,” he said. Replying to another question, he said that the party will contest the polls alone this time as well. “I hope this time too, party nominated candidates will continue their victory run,” he added.
On Tuesday, Election Commissioner Mohammad Shah Newaz announced that elections to some 600 Union Parishads will be held at the end of March this year in several phases. The election schedule for the UP elections in phases will be announced mid-February, he said.
The EC officer also mentioned that there are more than 4,000 Union Parishads across the country. The tenure of most Union Parishads will expire during this year and the EC wants to complete conducting elections to all Union Parishads this year.  
Meanwhile, AL, during a meeting of its Central Working Committee on Saturday, discussed whether the UP polls should be held under party banner or not. Several central leaders opined that at least the UP polls should be held in a non-partisan manner but AL President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina insisted on a battle between the political symbols of Boat and Sheaf of Paddy a la national elections.