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Published : 09 Mar 2024, 03:47 AM
After the Awami League's decision to allow its leaders to stand in the general election against official party candidates brought surprising results, the party is testing a new strategy in the local government polls by not endorsing any candidate and granting them the 'boat' symbol.
The second election to Mymensingh City Corporation and the mayoral by-election to Cumilla City Corporation are set for Saturday. Additionally, over 200 local government positions, including six municipalities, will be voted on the same day.
Voting will open at 8am and close at 4pm. Election Commissioner Md Alamgir said all preparations are complete, with no concerns regarding law and order.
Despite a boycott by one-third of the registered political parties, the 12th national polls saw a voter turnout of approximately 42 percent, as reported by the Election Commission.
Saturday marks the first major local government election since the national election. Observers are keen to assess whether this strategy will mitigate violence and enhance voter participation.
The decision by the ruling party to refrain from nominating candidates or assigning its boat symbol in the city corporation by-election stands as a crucial measure for evaluating the strategy's success in curbing violence and enhancing voter engagement.
In Mymensingh, four out of five mayoral candidates are from the Awami League, while the only Jatiya Party candidate is running with their party symbol.
The mayor candidates are-- incumbent mayor and president of Mymensingh city Awami League Ekramul Haque Titu, Mymensingh district AL President Ehteshamul Alam, Sadequl Haque Khan, Md Rezaul Haque, and Mymensingh district Jatiyo Party Joint Secretary Md Shahidul Islam.
In Cumilla, two out of four candidates are from the Awami League.
Tahseen Bahar Shuchona, daughter of Awami League lawmaker AKM Bahauddin Bahar, and Nur Ur Rahman Mahmud Tanim, an advisor for the party’s city wing, are contesting the election.
Two-time city mayor and expelled BNP leader Monirul Haque Sakku and expelled Swechchhasebak Dal leader Nizam Uddin Kaiser are also competing.
None of the candidates in this city are running under a party symbol.
There have been no major disturbances in the campaign as of Thursday night. The Election Commission is not concerned about the fairness of the election.
According to analysts, the number of independent candidates has increased, potentially leading to higher voter turnout in the local government elections.
Former election commissioner Kabita Khanam believes it's too early to gauge voter confidence or compare it to national elections.
Election analyst Abdul Alim noted that when multiple candidates from the same party contst, the election may lose its competitiveness, leading to a potential decline in voter interest.
ELECTION STRATEGY SPARKS SURPRISE VICTORIES
The Awami League devised a new approach to prevent an uncontested victory in the 12th parliamentary elections amidst the opposition boycott.
By allowing some party leaders not nominated to run independently, known as the 'dummy candidate's strategy,' they ensured competition in every constituency.
Independent candidates of the ruling party scored shock victories over dozens of heavyweights, including incumbent MPs of the Awami League and the Jatiya Party.
The rebel candidates of the Awami League won nearly six times as many seats as the Jatiya Party at 62. The Awami League secured an absolute majority with 222 out of 298 constituencies.
Encouraged by the success, the ruling party decided not to use the party symbol in the local election to avoid ‘conflict’ and ‘make the election festive.’
However, according to some analysts, the Awami League has taken this strategy to challenge the BNP leaders and activists who are adamant about boycotting the elections and to bring the party's supporters to the polling stations.
NEW TEST WITHOUT PARTY CANDIDATE
Former EC Kabita explained to bdnews24.com that not giving party symbols to candidates is a positive move because it prevents internal conflicts and rivalries among party members.
She emphasised that true independent candidates are those who do not have affiliations with any political party.
However, many individuals who were not nominated by their parties choose to run independently, leading to a loss of party discipline and potential violence.
She remarked that internal party conflicts often arise from grassroots events at home, fuelling hostilities and violence during local elections.
In response, parties may expel rebels, creating a sense of insecurity among them, she said.
Kabita believes that allowing candidates to run independently reduces violence and helps maintain discipline within political parties.
She expressed, "Voter turnout in local elections is consistently high because it involves a door-to-door process. The challenges of voter turnout seen in national elections are not as prevalent in local elections. However, violence tends to be higher in local government elections."
Nevertheless, Kabita is hesitant to draw direct comparisons between city polls and parliamentary elections, stating, "National elections shape the government, but that's not the case here. Voters participate to support their acquaintances. The issue of distrust is not as explicit in local elections."
Analyst Alim said having more candidates from a single party may not be full of competition, but it is better than candidates elected unopposed.
Observer Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah believes the new strategy to stay away from allocating the party symbol for any candidate will reduce incidents of violence and irregularities.
Mahbub-Ul Alam Hanif, a joint general secretary of the ruling party, and Abdur Razzaque, a presidium member, have no doubt that their new strategy will work.
“The Awami League as a party will support efforts to make the elections full of competition. And we of course believe that everyone will participate in the polls in a festive manner,” said Hanif.
Razzaque said a ‘satisfactory’ turnout meant strategic success of the Awami League in the general election, and it will be replicated in the city polls.
[Writing in English by Arshi Fatiha Quazi; editing by Osham-ul-Sufian Talukder]
