Krishak Sramik Janata League: Not throwing in the towel yet

Despite being on a losing streak since the 2001 national polls, the Krishak Sramik Janata League, led by the revered war hero Bangabir Kader Siddiqui, has fielded 34 candidates with the towel symbol for the upcoming 12th general election.

No candidates from the party, founded by Siddiqui in 1999, could win any seat in the 2008 and 2018 general elections. The party boycotted the 2014 elections, siding with the BNP.

However, Siddiqui said he is optimistic about this election. "Let's see what happens on election day," he told reporters at Tangail District Returning Officer's office on Sunday.

I never had any fear in my life, and I still don't. I embrace challenges head-on. I am running in the election to see if the election is going to be fair or not. Let's see how it goes in the polling station.

Bangabir Kader Siddiqui

Following a long association with the Awami League, Kader Siddiqui charted a new course in 1999, parting ways with the party and forming his new party at the end of that year. Since then, he has been the unwavering president of this political entity.

In its maiden foray into the electoral arena, the party contested the 2001 parliamentary elections with 39 candidates, securing only a single seat.

In that election, Kader Siddiqui emerged victorious from the Tangail 8 constituency bagging 80,558 votes, according to Election Commission data. His younger brother Murad Siddique secured 68,167 votes but could not win from Tangail-5. 

However, the party's fortunes waned in other constituencies. Collectively, the Krishak Sramik Janata League candidates garnered 261,409 votes, representing a mere 0.47% of the total votes cast in that election. The party's security deposits were forfeited in all constituencies except Tangail-8 and Tangail-5.

It has been downhill for the party since the 2008 general elections. In 2008, the party fielded 47 candidates, the highest ever, but none was elected. All the candidates together got only 102,879 votes, which is 0.15% of the total. Almost all the candidates' security deposits were forfeited by the Election Commission.

In the 2008 election, Awami League candidate Shawkat Momen Shahjahan won the Tangail-8 seat by bagging 1,33,870 votes (55.75% of the total votes). BNP candidate Ahmed Azam Khan came second with 65,521 votes (27.29%) and Kader Siddiqui secured the third position by getting only 38,775 votes (16.15%).

In the 2018 general election, the party fielded eight candidates but none of them could win. Almost all the candidates forfeited their security deposits after bagging only 1,44,115 votes, which is 0.17% of the total votes.

Will this time be any different? 

Buoyed by a recent meeting with the Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina at Ganabhaban, Kader Siddiqui exuded confidence about participating in the next elections. Empowered by the top Al leader's endorsement, he held a series of meetings in his constituency to strategise his electoral campaign.

This time, Siddiqui will be contesting from the Tangail-8 (Basail-Sakhipur) seat. However, his path to victory will not be without challenges, as he faces off against the Awami League's nominated candidate, Anupam Shahjahan Joy.

"The election is about voters," he said at the Tangail District Returning Officer's office on 3 December. He passionately advocated for active voter participation, emphasising that the true essence of a festive election lies in the enthusiastic engagement of the electorate.

"I never had any fear in my life, and I still don't. I embrace challenges head-on. I am running in the election to see if the election is going to be fair or not. Let's see how it goes in the polling station," he said.

Siddiqui expressed his hope for a more favourable electoral landscape in the days leading up to the election, saying, "If the current situation does not improve, the Election Commission (EC) risks losing its credibility."