AL bid to please all may end in pleasing none
Ershad's Jatiya Party (JP) wants to field candidates in Satkhira-2 (Sadar) and Satkhira-5 (Shyamnagar) while LDP is demanding Satkhira-1 (Tala-Kalaroa) constituency, sources in the parties said.
Taking JP (Ershad) and LDP (Liberal Democratic Party) on board, it will be hard for AL to please local AL leaders and its allies like Workers Party (WP) and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD). AL will not give up more than one seat, according to its district leaders.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The new polarisation has also created a difference between AL and its allies. Prospective candidates of all the parties are campaigning in their respective areas, hoping to get nomination, they said.
AL won the three seats in 1996 election. In 2001, it's candidates lost to 4-party alliance in the three seats but ran second in all the five seats in the district. "Now, our position is batter and we hope to win all the five seats in the district in coming election", said Satkhira district AL president of Engineer Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
AL candidates who ran second in the district in 2001 election are determined to try their luck this time, he said.
Engineer Sheikh Mujibur Rahman contested from Satkhira-1 constituency in last election.
"AL high-ups should not leave the seat (Satkhira-1) for any other ally as the constituency is a strong hold of AL and its nominee (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) was elected four times from there including 1996 and 1991 election", said district AL organising secretary Abdul Hamid, who is also Keralkata Union Parishad chairman in Kalaroa upazila.
LDP demands Satkhira-1 for its candidate Syed Didar Bakth, who was a state minister in Ershad government.
"AL leaders and activists will not accept him (Didar)", he claimed.
Besides, JP and LDP, Workers Party and JSD are also lobbying for 14-party alliance ticket from the seat.
AL leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman however does not want to give a serious consideration to demands by Workers Party and JSD in Satkjira-1. "Our allies may not stick to their demands because of their organisational weakness", he said.
Front ranking leaders of AL- led 14-party alliance are vehemently opposing LDP's demand arguing that the newly floated party has no right to demand the seat as it has not yet been able to form a committee to face the election.
Satkhira district AL president Engineer Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, district Workers Party secretary advocate Mustafa Lutfullah and district JSD secretary Obaidus Sultan Bablu who are actively participating in the ongoing agitation are vying for 14-party alliance ticket from Satkhira- 1, party insiders said.
Talking to this correspondent, some leaders of Hindu Bouddha Khristian Oikya Parishad seeking anonymity claimed that minority people of their communities will oppose Syed Didar Bakht as an alliance candidate because he allegedly harassed many members of a minority community implicating them in 'false cases' including the so-called 'Bangabhumi case' during Ershad's rule.
AL leader and Deara Union Parishad chairman Anwarul Islam said, "The party high-ups should nominate a candidate from among local AL leaders. Otherwise it will pay heavily".
Ticket aspirants advocate Mustafa Lutfullah and Obaidus Sultan Bablu said they will oppose LDP as it has no orgaisation in the area.
On contact, Syed Didar Bakht refuted the allegations and said 'vested quarters are hatching conspiracy' against him to tarnish his image. He said he is sure about getting LDP nomination as he did a lot of development works during his tenure.
JP sources said advocate Abdur Rahim, Syeda Razia Foyez and Abdul Jabbar are lobbying for ticket from Satkhira- 2 constituency.
"If 14-party leaves the seat to JP, any one of the aspirants will be nominated from the constituency", said Ashrafuzzaman Ashu, member secretary of Satkhira district JP.
Satkhira district AL secretary Nazrul Islam, who lost to Jamaat-e-Islami from Satkhira-2 in 1996 and 2001 elections, is determined to contest from there as an alliance candidate in coming election.
Sadar upazila AL president S M Shawkat Hossain and secretary Shahjahan Ali said they have demanded to party high-ups ticket for Nazrul Islam as he is a popular and honest leader who strengthened party organisation at grassroots level.
Party men in the constituency will not accept any candidate other than Nazrul and if nominated this time, he will win as Jamaat did nothing for the area in last 15 years, said Satkhira Poura AL president Sheikh Nurul Haque and secretary Shahadat Hossain.
Jatiya Party will not be able to snatch the seat (Satkhira-2) from Jamaat because of its organisational weakness, they claimed. Nazrul Islam is the only strong candidate to face Jamaat, they said.
District JP joint convener advocate Abdur Rouf however claimed that if nominated by the alliance, JP may win the seats.
JP central leader Golam Reza who ran third in Satkhira-5 in last election, is also lobbying for ticket from the area.
AL leaders former lawmaker AK Fazlul Haque, Shyamnagar upazila AL president Jaglul Haidar, secretary Abdul Kader, Khalilullah and Shafiul Azam Lenin are also lobbying for alliance ticket from Satkhira-5.
AL leaders at a recent meeting demanded nomination of a party man from Shyamnagar and conveyed their stance to the party high command, party sources said.
"If district AL president and general secretary are not given tickets, there will be a big crisis in Satkhira as this will also affect other constituencies in the district", said Satkhira AL vice-president Anwar Hossain. "We hope to get at least 4 out of 5 seats in the coming election", he claimed.