High on dreams: Jatiya Party sees AL in opposition!

In the run-up to the upcoming election, the Jatiya Party envisions a scenario where they claim victory, securing more seats than the Awami League and demoting the latter to the opposition.

Speaking at the political office of Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader in Banani on Wednesday, Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu said, "We have come to participate in the election. We have not come to leave the election or to stage any drama. We will participate in the election and we are dreaming of coming to power … the Awami League will be in the opposition."

Chunnu's statements, however, contradict the reports on ongoing discussions between the Jatiya Party and Awami League regarding seat sharing. Jatiya Party has sought a guarantee of 35-40 seats from the Awami League, yet full approval is pending, sources say.

The sources added that the Awami League is considering withdrawing candidates from 20-25 seats, but decisions on independent candidates remain unresolved, as Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader hinted.

The analysis of Jatiya Party's previous polls show that its wins largely depended on the Awami League's support in previous elections. In 2008 and 2014, the Jatiya Party won seats where the Awami League did not field candidates. In 2018, despite being allocated 26 seats by the Awami League, Jatiya Party won only 21.

Several Jatiya Party leaders, speaking anonymously, acknowledge that without the Awami League's concession of seats, their chances of winning even a handful of seats are slim.