JS polls: Independents shine as second-place contenders

Infographics: TBS

Independent candidates have emerged as the second-highest contenders in 154 seats during the recently concluded 12th national polls.

This marks a historic high for independents securing the second position, setting a new record in the electoral landscape. This shift left 27 political parties out of the limelight, failing to make a substantial impact in the electoral race among the total 28 participating parties.

As the winners were declared, the Awami League emerged as the most successful, securing 222 seats. Independent candidates followed closely, securing the second position with a notable 62 seats. The Jatiyo Party candidates came in third, winning 11 seats.

The Bangladesh Kallyan Party secured one seat with the clock symbol, while the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and the Workers Party of Bangladesh each won one seat with the boat symbol.

In the runner-up race, 154 independent candidates emerged as strong contenders out of a total of 436, coming closest to the winning candidates.

The Jatiyo Party, fielding candidates in 265 seats, came in second in the runner-up race by securing the second position in 68 seats.

The Awami League, despite its overall success, came in third in the runner-up race by securing 38 seats.

The remaining 26 parties were classified as small, collectively fielding 1,002 candidates. Many struggled to garner support, receiving minimal votes, often less than 1,000. Twelve party chiefs lost their security deposits, reflecting the challenges faced by smaller parties in the electoral arena.

Seventeen of these 26 parties managed to become runner-ups in 38 seats, while the remaining nine saw no victory.

The Workers Party of Bangladesh emerged as a significant player, becoming runner-up in four seats. The newly registered Bangladesh Nationalist Movement, fielding 56 candidates, also secured runner-up positions in four seats.

The Zaker Party, despite reducing its candidates from 218 to 21, claimed the runner-up position in three constituencies.

The Trinamool BNP, another newly registered party, faced disappointment by not securing any seats despite bold claims of becoming the main opposition party. Out of 135 candidates, their candidates secured the runner-up position only in two seats.

Similarly, the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal candidates claimed the runner-up position in two constituencies.

The National People's Party, fielding candidates in 122 seats, secured the runner-up position in only one seat, receiving 6,586 votes, while the winning candidate received 2,20,667 votes.