Chaos in Jamaat led 10-party alliance as candidates clash across constituencies

The 10-party alliance led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is facing serious internal turmoil as the seat-sharing agreement, finalised at the top, struggles to survive at the grassroots level. What was meant to be a tidy division of constituencies has become a chaotic free-for-all, with multiple parties fielding candidates in the same areas and withdrawing candidates still. 

The alliance had initially divvied up three hundred constituencies among its members, assigning the bulk to Jamaat-e-Islami, allocating 215 seats. The leader of the alliance, however, has fielded candidates in 224 constituencies. 

NCP, assigned 30 seats, is now contesting in 32, with 13 of these constituencies also featuring candidates from other alliance members. Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis is contesting in 34 constituencies despite officially being given 23. 

Meanwhile, another ally party, Khelafat Majlis, has fielded candidates in 21 seats, despite agreeing to 10 initially. AB Party is campaigning in 30 seats instead of the three allotted, and the Liberal Democratic Party is contesting 12 constituencies, nearly double its agreed-upon share. 

Even the newly joined Bangladesh Labour Party has entered 15 constituencies without any official allocation, leaving only the Bangladesh Development Party and the Bangladesh Nizam-e-Islam Party sticking to the numbers agreed upon at the top.

Jatiya Gonotantrik Patry (Jagpa) was not allotted seats but is contesting in Jashore-1. Similarly, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan is contesting in 8 seats despite having no allocation

Ally candidate in Bhola gives up the seat to Jamaat amid backlash 

The situation is particularly tense in Bhola-2, covering Daulatkhan and Borhanuddin, where the Liberal Democratic Party's candidate Mokfar Uddin Chowdhury withdrew voluntarily to support Jamaat-e-Islami's Maulana Mufti Fazlul Karim. 

Local Jamaat workers were openly dissatisfied with LDP's candidacy, leaving Chowdhury unable to campaign comfortably. Even though Jamaat had initially planned to cede the seat to LDP, pressure from grassroots supporters forced a reversal, highlighting the growing disconnect between central strategy and local realities.

NCP faces overlaps across key constituencies

The National Citizens Party (NCP) is contesting 30 seats as part of the 11-party alliance. Although one of these seats was announced as open, candidates from allied parties are also contesting in another 11 constituencies.

Several NCP leaders said that, upon inquiry, they found that Jamaat has candidates in Chattogram-8 and Narsingdi-2. In Narayanganj-4, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, in Sirajganj-6 AB Party, in Dhaka-20 Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, and in Rajbari-2 Khelafat Majlis have not withdrawn their nominations.

Additionally, the Bangladesh Labour Party has candidates in Panchagarh-1, and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis in Rangpur-4. AB Party has not withdrawn in Kurigram-2, LDP in Dhaka-19, Khelafat Majlis in Comilla-4, and Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan in Netrokona-2.

Commenting on this, an NCP leader expressed frustration, saying there was no central coordination regarding candidate withdrawals, which is why in many constituencies, including those of Jamaat, several parties have not withdrawn their nominations.