Alliance For Next Polls: JP to 'play religion card' to woo voters

The Jatiya Party looks to get voters on its side by stoking religious sentiments, party insiders say. 

It aims to divert “rightist” voters, who are believed to cast ballots in favour of the BNP-led 20-party alliance, to its side using religion card and that is why the party in the opposition in parliament has taken in at least 34 Islamist organisations, including Olama Mashaek Somonnoy Parishad and Islami Akida Sangrokkhon Party, in the JP-led United National Alliance, according to sources in the party.

Although the Islamist parties have no organisational strength, gathering Islamic leaders under one umbrella may help get “rightist voters' sympathy”, JP leaders say.  

There are five Islamic parties in the BNP-led alliance at present. 

JP chief HM Ershad on Sunday came up with a new electoral alliance comprising name-only Islamist parties and two registered party. 

The use of religion card to woo voters in election is not something new in the country's politics. The two major political parties -- Awami League and BNP -- stoked up religious sentiments to bag votes in elections to local government bodies and parliament.

JP leaders say 15 more political parties, including two “well known” and registered Islamist parties --faction of Islami Oikya Jote, and faction of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish -- are likely to join the JP-led United National Alliance, raising the number of allies to 63. 

“As a secular party, Awami League has fixed voters. We will not get those votes. That's why we have taken the strategy to attract anti-Awami League supporters who used to cast votes for BNP and its ally,” JP Co-chairman GM Quader told The Daily Star.

“Due to secular image of the Awami League, it is believed that religious-minded people vote for the BNP due to its rightist image and its alliance with different Islamist organisations.”

If the BNP finally doesn't participate in the next general election, the JP will definitely participate under the alliance to emerge as a “strong opposition party”, said JP presidium member Shunil Shuvo Roy. 

In that case, he said, “We are hopeful about getting votes of the rightist voters who do not like Awami League.”

A section of JP leaders, however, expressed dissatisfaction over the inclusion of name only and unregistered political parties that lack minimum organisational strength and popularity to make an impact on election results. 

“There was no discussion in the party's forum about it [formation of the alliance]. Most of us knew nothing about who were going to join the alliance,” another JP leader said preferring not to be named.

 “The number 58 [present components of the alliance] sounds good but voters don't cast their votes on that basis. 

“The way the alliance was formed seemed like people from the streets were invited to join the alliance.” Things would have been better had the JP included more registered parties in the alliance, the party leader added.