They said BNP high-ups will have to deal with the issue very tactfully and effectively to avoid any split in the alliance and rebellion within the party as it has more than one competent and dedicated candidates in most seats it will share with the alliance partners.
Talking to UNB, BNP senior leaders said they are ready to make a big sacrifice to keep their alliance partners happy over the seat sharing and hope their allies will be also judicious in this regard.
They, however, said their party will not talk about seat sharing with their partners until the announcement of the election schedule for strategic reason as the party is not yet decided to take part in the polls.
BNP’s 20-party alliance partners want BNP to settle the seat sharing issue as soon as possible so that they can take preparations for the election properly.
Oikyafront leaders are, however, now little bothered about seat sharing as they think ensuring a congenial atmosphere for credible polls is now their main concern.
A number of senior BNP leaders said they may give 20-party alliance partners maximum 50- 60 seats while Oikyafront leaders and professionals 30-40 seats.
Of the 20-praty partners, Jamaat wants 50-60 seats while LDP and Khelafat Majlish, 30, BJP 3, Jatiya Party (Zafar) 15, Kalyan Party 5, Jamiat-e-Ulema-Islam 6, NAP and NDP 4, Jagpa and NPP 4, Democratic League and Samyabadi Dal 4, Muslim League 2 and Labour party 2. Four other parties want nomination of their party’s top most leaders.
A BNP standing committee member, wishing anonymity, said they are now giving the main focus on various programmes of the Jatiya Oikyafront to push for their seven-point demand for holding a credible national election.
“If we now talk about seat sharing with our alliance partners it’ll demonstrate that we’re going to polls under any circumstances. But we’re still undecided about joining polls,” he said.
Contacted, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said it is not the suitable time for discussing about seat sharing with their partners as they are now on a movement to restore democracy, ensure a proper election atmosphere and release of their chairperson Khaleda Zia.
If their party decides to join the polls after realising their demands, he said they will then take an inclusive decision regarding the seat sharing thinking of the interests of all the alliance partners. “We’ll properly evaluate our alliance partners.”
BNP standing committee member and 20-party coordinator Nazrul Islam Khan said they neither make any list of their party’s probable candidates nor seek any such list from their alliance partners as their party’s participation in the polls is not certain.
“If we decide to join polls, we will be able to settle the issue with our partners after the announcement of the election schedule as we know which party has how many potential candidates,” he added.
Gono Forum executive president Subrata Chowdhury said they are not thinking of seat sharing issue as their now main target is to force the government to hold a fair and credible election. “We’ll talk about it at the right time.”
Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna and JSD general secretary Abdul Malek Ratan also echoed Subrata Chowdhury, and said they will think about it once their demands are realised.
BNP has already suffered a split in the 20-party alliance as Jebel Rahman Gani-led National Awami Party (NAP) and Khandaker Golam Mortuza-led National Democratic Party (NDP) quit the coalition on October 16 as they became certain that they would not get nomination from the alliance in the next polls.
Four alliance leaders, wishing anonymity, said their coalition may face another split after the announcement of the election schedule if BNP fails to evaluate its partners.
BNP insiders, however, said party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other senior leaders are in touch with the alliance partners giving them various assurances.
Talking to UNB, LDP joint general secretary Shahadat Hossain Selim said they did not have any formal discussion over seat sharing with BNP as it is not still clear whether the 20-party alliance will join the polls keeping Khaleda Zia in jail.
He, however, said they have informal discussion and assurance about the number of seat they may get.
Bangladesh Kalyan Party Chairman Maj Gen (retd) Syed Mohammad Ibrahim also said they have informal discussion with BNP over seat sharing. “I hope, the issue will be settled at the right time.”
A leader of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they are taking necessary preparations to contest the election and they will seek 50-60 seats from BNP.
BNP leaders said they have already made a plan over sharing seats with their 20-party alliance partners, but there has been no discussion with Oikyafront leaders in this regard.
They, however, said they will evaluate properly Gono Forum, JSD and Nagorik Oikya regarding seat sharing so that their all suitable and competent candidates can contest the polls under the banner of the alliance.