AL gives up 26 seats to Jatiya Party

 
Awami League (AL) has given up 26 constituencies for Jatiya Party (JaPa) in the 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) elections slated for January 7.

It has also left six constituencies for its alliance partners under the 14-party alliance.

"AL gave up a total of 32 constituencies for its alliance partners and JaPa. Of them, 26 are up for JaPa and six for 14-party alliance members," AL Office Secretary Biplab Barua told reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital on Sunday after handing over a letter to the EC in this regard. In the letter, AL informed the EC that it withdrew party candidates from 25 constituencies.

The 25 constituencies are: Thakurgaon-3, Nilphamari-3 and 4, Rangpur-1 and 3, Kurigram-1 and 2, Gaibandha-1 and 2, Bogura-2 and 3, Satkhira-2, Patuakhali-1, Barishal-3, Pirojpur-3, Mymensigh-5 and 8, Kishoreganj-3, Manikganj-1, Dhaka-18, Habiganj-1, Brahmanbaria-2, Feni-3, and Chattogram-5 and 8.

AL did not nominate any candidate for Narayanganj-5 constituency where a JaPa candidate is contesting in the polls.

Barua said AL nominated its candidates for 298 constituencies while five of them were rejected by the EC and they went to the High Court to regain their candidature.

"Now our valid candidates are 293. As we are contesting in the polls from the alliance, we have left six constituencies for three alliance partners," he said, adding that of the alliance members, Workers Party of Bangladesh got two seats, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JASOD) three and Jatiya Party (JP) got one seat.

"We have withdrawn candidates from 26 constituencies giving out those to JaPa," the AL office secretary said, adding that 14-party alliance partners will contest in the polls with the symbol 'Boat' while all JaPa candidates will contest with their party symbol.

The seats given up for alliance partners are: Bogura-4, Rajshahi-2 Kushtia-2, Barishal-2, Pirojpur-2 and Lakshmipur-4.

Meanwhile, as many as 347 contenders have withdrawn of their own accord from contention in the next general election, with the deadline for withdrawal passing on Sunday.

It leaves the number of valid contestants at 1896 for the January 7 poll.

"A total of 347 candidates withdrew candidacy… now the total number of valid candidates is 1896," said Election Commission's Secretary Md Jahangir Alam while briefing reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city on Sunday night.

The candidacy of five aspirants remain pending, he said, adding that 27 political parties are running the 12th parliamentary election.
Out of 44 registered political parties, BNP and some others are boycotting the general election.

The returning officers will allocate electoral symbols among contenders on Monday. Then the candidates can start electioneering and continue the electoral campaign till January 5 (8am), 48 hours before the balloting, which will continue from 8 am to 4pm without any recess on January 7.

Earlier, a total of 2,716 aspirants including 747 independents submitted nomination papers in 300 constituencies throughout the country to run the 12th national election.

But the returning officers accepted 1985 nomination papers and rejected 731 others during the scrutiny conducted on December 1-4.

Some 270 aspirants got back their candidacy in the national election slated for January 7 next as the Election Commission on Friday completed the disposal of appeals filed by aggrieved aspirants against the cancellation or acceptance of nomination papers by the returning officers.

Besides, the commission scrapped the candidacy of five aspirants whose nomination papers were earlier declared valid by the returning officers.

In another development, President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Sunday gave consent to deploy military personnel to help ensure free, fair and peaceful Jatiya Sangsad (JS) polls.

"The president consented to deploy members of armed forces division (AFD) for holding next polls in a free, fair and peaceful manner. . . The military personnel will assist the civil administration," President's Press Secretary Md Joinal Abedin said.

He said the president provided his assent as Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal called on him at Bangabhaban to offer formal request for armed forces deployment before and after next general elections.

According to Abedin, the president said the decision for the military deployment was taken to maintain law and order and fair atmosphere during the pre-and post-election period.

The head of the state, however, said the date and time of the troops' deployment will be announced later in consultation with all concerned stakeholders.
During the meeting, the president was apprised by the CEC of the overall Election Commission (EC) preparations for the upcoming polls.

Expressing satisfaction over the polls preparation by the EC, the head of the state assured the EC of providing all necessary cooperation to make the elections fair and peaceful.

The president also expressed his hope that with the cooperation of all, a free, fair and credible election will be held in Bangladesh.

Secretaries concerned to the president were present at the meeting.