The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is struggling to stop its leaders as defying the directive of the high command of the party, a significant number of grassroots leaders are running campaigns to vie in the first phase of Upazila Parishad polls scheduled for May 8.
The BNP has already decided to boycott any polls, and for that matter, the upazila elections under the incumbent government.
For this, the BNP has taken a stern stance to keep its leaders off the polls race.
But, many aspirants say that they will participate in the polls as independent candidates to go by the will of the people, the ultimate source of power.
Amid the stance of the aspirants, the BNP has issued a note of warning about organisational actions to keep them away from the poll race.
Sources in the BNP say that if anyone contests the race defying the party directive, he/she will be expelled from the party.
The aspirants, who have already filed nominations, have already been asked to withdraw the nominations to avert organisational actions.
The organising secretaries in charge for divisions on Thursday held a virtual meeting with acting chairman Tarique Rahman.
Sources said Tarique Rahman directed the organising secretaries to take measures so that no leaders can take part in the next phases of the UZ polls.
Being directed, the organising secretaries have also started asking the leaders not to participate in the polls to avert organisational actions.
They have already talked to some aspirants in Gazipur and Manikganj and urged them to withdraw the nominations.
Expressing dismay over the party’s latest decisions, grassroots leaders of the BNP say that the locals of their respective areas want them to contest the polls but the decision of the central body has put them in an awkward situation.
A former upazila chairman of Dhaka Division, on condition of anonymity, expressed resentment over the party’s decision of boycotting the polls saying that he would have to stand against the will of the locals of his area.
The former chairman said that the central leaders already talked to him and advised him not to vie in the race defying the party decision.
“I have been doing politics in my area for the last 30 years. I was elected the chairman of upazila parishad defeating an influential leader of the Awami League. Locals want me to run the race and the central leaders also believe that I may win the race this time too. But the party’s decision on boycotting the polls has put me in an embarrassing situation,” said the former chairman.
Over the threat of expulsion from the party, some aspirants think that the party takes such action before any elections.
Many leaders were expelled in the past. But, they get mercy after a certain period of time, they say.
When asked about the logic behind the boycott of the UZ polls, sources in the BNP say they think that this election under the Awami League government will also be a controlled one.
If they participate in the polls, the Awami League will get a political mileage. That’s why, the party decided to boycott the local body polls, they say.
BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said that if anyone breaches the party discipline, action will be taken in line with the party constitution.
Over the boycott of the UZ polls, he said, “It has been decided much earlier that BNP will refrain from participating in the UZ polls. And the decision has already been conveyed to the leaders.”
Sources in the BNP say that some 45 leaders submitted nominations to contest the first phase polls slated for May 8.
Gazipur Sadar upazila BNP vice president Ezadur Rahman filed the nomination to contest the polls as an independent candidate.
“The party has now taken a decision to boycott the polls. But I have run a long discussion with my leaders and activists. I become an aspirant due to their willingness,” he said.
After the scrutiny, as many as 1,786 aspirants will vie in the first phase. Of them, the number of valid candidates for the post of chairman stands at 649 while 684 for vice chairman and 453 for vice chairman posts reserved for women.
As per the schedule, the last date for withdrawal of candidature is April 22.
Jamaat-e-Islami, a key ally of the BNP, earlier decided to participate in the UZ polls. As many as 22 leaders submitted nominations for contesting the polls.
But the party high command later decided to boycott the polls and asked the leaders to stay off the race.