• Party high command issues blank warning against rebels
• Central leaders to discuss election issues Friday

Some influential Awami League leaders are working to ensure defeat of their party-backed chairman candidates in the ongoing Union Parishad (UP) polls, party insiders said.

The local government nomination board led by Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina nominate party men for contesting the UP polls as chairman candidates.

But some influential leaders, including ministers and lawmakers, are indirectly working against the party-backed candidates, apparently challenging the decision of the party-high command, insiders said.

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina warned that organsiational action will be taken against the leaders who are working against the party-nominated candidates in the UP polls.

“Whoever he/she is….Action will be taken for participating in the polls defying the party discipline,” she said.

Many AL-nominated candidates suffered humiliating defeat in the 1st and 2nd phase of the UP elections as influential party leaders provided their support for the rebel candidates.

Although the AL high command has repeatedly warned of taking action against those contesting the polls in violation of party discipline, no action is being taken against the rebels.

About the rebel candidates, Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader said organisational action will be taken against those taking part in the poll race breaching party discipline.

“A list of patrons of rebel candidates and lawmakers is being prepared at the directive of the party chief. None will be spared if found involved in patronizing party rebels,” he said.

AL office sources said a meeting will be held at Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s  Ganabhaban residence on Friday to discuss participation of rebels in the polls and role of local leaders.

According to Election Commission (EC) statistics, AL-backed chairman candidates won in 486 unions out of 834 on the second-phase UP polls held on November 11. Of them, 81 have been elected unopposed.

The EC statistics also shows that 330 independent candidates, mostly rebels of the ruling party, won in the second phase of the polls.

Some AL candidates have lost their security deposit and got defeated by rebels in the areas of vote bank of ‘Boat’ symbol due to opposition by party’s influential leaders.

Mojibur Rahman Molla, a party-nominated candidate, who contested the polls in Laxmipur union under Madaripur district, lost his security deposit as he got only 325 votes.

In violation of the directive of the AL high command to work in favour of party-backed candidates, some influential leaders are taking side with the rebels for their own interests, party insiders say.

Nomination trading, giving party tickets to the men loyal to ministers and lawmakers, internal feud and ignoring recommendation of the grass roots are blamed for the defeat of AL-backed candidates.

Eight rebel candidates won in 13 unions in Kalkini upazila in Madaripur district.

Twenty-three out 43 AL-backed candidates have won in the UP polls in Sylhet division.

Four rebels won in five unions under Juri Upazila in Moulvibazar due to internal feud between a minister and former BCL leader.

Party sources said nearly 1,000 rebels participated in the second-phase UP polls. The number of rebel candidates was highest in Kushtia, Gopalganj, Narsingdi, Brahmanbaria, Cumilla, Chuadanga, Sirajganj, Jhenaidah and Magura.

Compared to the first phase, Awami League fared poorly  in the second-phase polls. Some 57 percent of the AL-backed candidates won in the second phase against first phase’s 76 percent, according to EC statistics.

In the first-phase polls, 267 Awami League candidates won and of them 71 were elected unopposed. At least 85 independents came out victorious in the first phase.

Mymensingh division is known as a vote bank of Awami League, but only 10 AL candidates have secured win in 30 unions. Even many AL candidates failed to compete with the rebel candidates in 12 UPs.

In Meherpur, seven rebels have won in nine unions. All the AL-backed candidates have been defeated in Mujibnagar of the district.

Two rebel candidates won in four unions in Chuadanga, two in Magura, seven in Kushtia, five in Faridpur, six in Rajshahi, six in Sunamganj, seven in Dhaka, four in Shariatpur, 22 in three districts in Mymensingh division.

In Dhobaura under Mymensingh district, five rebels won in seven UPs.

In Shariatpur, five defeated AL candidates, including Asma Akter, Mizan Mohammad Khan and Abul Hossain, at a press conference demanded reelection in their unions. They alleged that a group of AL local leaders have taken side with rebels breaching party discipline.

In Khulna, 10 rebels and 10 AL candidates were elected in 25 unions, four rebels won in 13 unions in Narail, and six in 12 unions in Jhenaidah due to feud among the local leaders and lawmakers.

Five rebels won in 11 unions in Satkhira. Thirteen AL candidates and six rebels won in 22 unions in Jashore due to multiple reasons, including factional conflict.

Besides, six rebels won in Narsingdi, four in Natore, two in Pabna.

In Gaibandha, only three out of 13 AL-backed candidates have won, four rebels won 15 unions in Jamalpur, seven rebels in nine unions in Nilphamari.

In Noakhali, Awami League won in six unions while rebels and independent candidates won eight in 14 unions of Begumganj upazila of the district.

In Brahmanbaria, AL-backed candidates have won in six out of 13 unions in Nasirnagar upazila and independent candidates won seven seats.