Jatiyo Party denies alliance, but leaders campaign as 'AL supported'

The Jatiyo Party, despite denying being part in any alliance or grand alliance for the upcoming election, has found itself entangled in controversy as its top leaders campaign under the banner of "Awami League-supported candidates" in constituencies vacated by the ruling Awami League.

Jatiyo Party General Secretary Mujibul Haque Chunnu, in a press conference held on Thursday to announce the party's manifesto, reiterated the party's stance, saying, "We are not in any alliance or grand alliance. The Awami League has voluntarily given up these seats, and we will contest every seat with the plough symbol."

However, this declaration appears contradictory as at least 15 Jatiyo Party candidates, including Chunnu himself, are actively campaigning in their respective constituencies, portraying themselves as candidates supported by the Awami League. This is evident through campaign materials such as posters, festoons, banners, and social media promotions.

Local Awami League leaders and workers in these contested seats have expressed dissatisfaction with this unexpected development. Despite Awami League's withdrawal of its candidates in favour of Jatiyo Party nominees, many party members feel neglected and deprived due to the Jatiyo Party's influence in these areas.

The controversy intensified when Jatiyo Party's General Secretary Chunnu, who is contesting in the Kishoreganj-3 seat, labelled himself as both a "Jatiyo Party nominated" and "Awami League supported" candidate on his election poster. 

This move has sparked anger among voters and Awami League members, leading to the filing of an official complaint by an independent Awami League candidate with the returning officer.

Similar instances were observed in other constituencies, where Jatiyo Party candidates, such as Masud Uddin Chowdhury, Major (retd) Rana Mohammad Sohail, Salahuddin Ahmed Mukti, Md Rezaul Islam Bhuiyan, Shamim Haider Patwari, and Ponir Uddin Ahmed, openly identified as "grand alliance nominated" or "Awami League supported" in their campaign materials.

The actions of these Jatiyo Party candidates have not only fuelled discontent among local Awami League candidates but also raised concerns among voters who see a contradiction in the party's official stance.

In response to these allegations, Chunnu, told The Business Standard, "Those who have written Awami League-supported or grand alliance-supported on posters and banners have done so by mistake. We have stopped them so that they do not use such posters."

Chunnu further attributed the confusion to a few individuals who, by mistake, continued to use materials from the previous year when the Jatiyo Party was supported by the Awami League. He assured that corrective measures have been taken to rectify the situation.

The controversy deepened on 17 December, when the Awami League officially handed over 26 seats to the Jatiyo Party, prompting further questions about the nature of their partnership. Jatiyo Party's general secretary maintained, "There was no alliance with the Awami League. There was no seat agreement. However, there are some strategies for some seats."