With the declaration of the Upazila Parishad polls schedule on Sunday, nomination seekers from ruling Awami League have started intense lobbying to get the party nod.
For the first time, party nominated candidates will use party symbol in the upazila parishad election.
Ruling Awami League will participate in the election solely without alliance partners where BNP has decided to boycott the election alleging that they will never ever participate in any election under Awami League led government.
With no BNP in the field, ruling party candidates for upazila parishad are considering an easy win also of belief that getting nomination can ensure the victory.
Sources from Awami League’s president’s political office at Dhanmondi told the Dhaka Tribune that several thousand aspirants are lobbying to grab the nomination.
The lobbying intensified more after Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on January 14 announced that the party leaders and activists can start preparation for the polls.
Nomination seekers from across the country have started visiting Awami League senior leaders, local lawmaker’s houses and offices to convince them to get the nomination and most of them admitted to the acquisition, sources said.
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Several aspirants while in conversation with the Dhaka Tribune said, to ensure nomination they need to maintain some guidelines which is not the same as winning the election, so lobbying is needed in order to ensure the nomination.
Aspirants are also gathering at Awami League’s president’s political office from morning to evening in frantic effort to meet party senior leaders.
According to party senior leaders, most of the aspirants are not committed with party and are not much popular among the voters.
A presidium member and also member of Awami League local government selection board wishing anonymity said that Awami league is focusing on selecting qualified candidates. Those who are not following the direction of the party chief Sheikh Hasina will fail to get the nomination.
“Many of the aspirants are not familiar with the party activities also they are not well known. People from several areas are trying to get Awami League nomination considering that they can easily win the election if they get nomination as the party is in power,” he said.
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Awami League joint general secretary Abdur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune that the proportion of nomination seekers for upazila parishad election with weaker political background is high.
He said: “Aspirants who are not popular among party activists and people, particularly having no strong political history are busy in lobbying.”
Nomination cannot be gained through lobbying if aspirants have no strong political background, he added.
The Election Commission plans to hold the elections to around 480 upazilas in five phases this year — starting from March 10.
Aspirants will have to submit their nominations by February 11. The nominations forms will be scrutinized on February 12. Candidates will have time to withdraw their nomination till February 19, Election Commission sources said.
