'Independents' put AL grassroots in a dilemma

The surge in the number of 'independent' candidates from the Awami League, who failed to secure party nomination for the 12th national parliamentary elections, is creating splits in the grassroots, said local leaders. 

In some constituencies, local leaders and activists of the party organised separate 'showdowns' on behalf of the party nominated candidates and independents, raising fears of conflicts between the supporters.

Sources said that as many 1,000 local leaders of Awami League have collected nomination forms from the district returning offices and around 200 of them have filed the forms in the past three days until Wednesday.

A total of 72 leaders of the Awami League, who are among the incumbent members of the 11th national parliament, failed to secure party nomination this time. Of them, 13 have prepared to contest in the polls independently as of Wednesday despite the AL central's objections.  

Also on Wednesday, six party nominated and nine independents collected nomination forms in Khulna.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said that the independent candidates from the party must abide by the decisions of the party to run in the polls.

On 26 November, Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina instructed the party to allow dummy or alternative candidates so that any one cannot win in the polls uncontested, where there is no opposition candidate.

Sources said that now the independent candidates will have to be approved by the party to contest in polls. A policy would also be adopted by the party in this regard.

Party insiders said that there are discussions at the policymaking level of Awami League to restrict 71 members of incumbent parliament, including three state ministers, who were not given party nominations, from running in the polls independently.

Political analysts believe that if the BNP does not participate in the polls, these 'independents' from Awami League would pose serious challenges to the party nominated candidates. The decision from the party's top brass encouraging independent candidates to run in polls can backfire.

As per the schedule announced by the Election Commission, the deadline for the submission of nomination forms will end Thursday.

Many believe that if there is no instruction from the Awami League to withdraw the 'independents', the nominated candidates will have to compete with them to win in the polls in most of the constituencies.

On the condition of anonymity, several grassroots leaders of Awami League in various constituencies of Chattogram, told The Business Standard that the competition of an independent candidate against a party-nominated candidate will increase the division within the party.

Although there is no restriction on party leaders running as independent candidates, this has negative implications at the field level with possibility of conflicts among the grassroots leaders and activists.