Kazi Zahidul Hasan & Reza Mahmud :
Ruling Awami League and opposition BNP have begun their preliminary seat sharing talks with their alliance partners following the announcement of election schedule.
Senior leaders of AL and BNP have already held several round of talks in their party circle as well as with alliance leaders to shape up a seat sharing formula. But their talks remain inconclusive following demands for unrealistic number of seats by their partners.
Insiders said both the parties are ready to share 70-80 seats for their partners aiming to forge greater alliances with their like-minded parties to contest the 11th parliamentary election to be held on December 30.
“Yes, we’re working to develop a seat sharing formula, but it is yet to be finalized,” AL Presidium Member Muhammad Faruk Khan told The New Nation on Tuesday.
He said that the AL would leave 70-80 seats for its partners aiming to forge a ‘grand alliance’ with the like-minded parties to participate in the next polls.
“We will accommodate all the alliance partners by leaving seats for their candidates. We will not consider their proportionate representation within the alliance while leaving seats. Seats will be left only for the winnable candidates,” added Muhammad Faruk Khan.
He said that the allince partners have been asked to prepare a list of their winnable candidates. By this time AL also completed a servey in this regard. “An announcement about the exact number of seats will be made soon,” he added.
Regarding Jatiyo Party’s seat sharing offer, Muhammad Faruk Khan said, “General Hussein Muhammad Ershad demanded 100 seats from AL. But I think it’s all about a demand, but nothing else. Being a partner of AL led grand alliance, Jatiya Party can raise the demand.” “We have no disagreement with the alliance partners although they have demanded seats beyond the reality,” he said, adding, “AL wants to show solidarity with its allies before going to the polls.”
The AL had allocated 15 seats to its 14-party alliance partners in the last national election held on January 5, 2014. BNP-led led 20 party alliance boycotted the polls, as their demand for a non-party polls time government was not met.
In the last election, AL had allocated seven seats to the Workers’ Party, six to the JSD and two to the Tariqat Federation. The other partners of the alliance did not get any seats.
“The alliance partners are demanding more shares of seats this time creating irritation in AL high-ups,” an AL central leader told The New Nation yesterday on condition of anonymity.
“We’re facing problems in sharing seats,” a senior BNP leader told The New Nation yesterday preferring anonymity.
He said partners of 20-party alliance and Jatiya Oikyafront (JOF) have demanded 100 seats, which seems to be unrealistic in terms of their representation in the country’s political arena.
“We want 20 seats for Nagorik Oikya.” Mahmudur Rahman Manna told The New Nation yesterday.
He also said the allocation of seats will be decided through discussions with BNP.
When asked, BNP Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan said that there is no problem of seat sharing with the alliance partners. Disagreement may be raised over the issue, but we’re ready to compromise for the sake of democracy.
