With the BNP struggling to rein in rebel candidates despite repeated warnings and organisational efforts, party Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman is set to hold meetings with them in a last-ditch bid to persuade withdrawals from key constituencies where BNP and its alliance partners have fielded official candidates.
Senior BNP leaders said they tried various ways to convince rebel candidates contesting in nearly 50 seats, but failed in most cases, leaving direct intervention by Tarique Rahman as the only option to persuade them to withdraw their nominations by January 20.
Apart from rebel candidates, BNP leaders said the party is also concerned about many nomination aspirants who were denied tickets. Some of them have remained inactive, while others are reportedly working against BNP candidates in their areas.
“We are preparing a strategy to involve nomination-deprived and overlooked leaders in the election campaign by holding meetings with them,” a BNP Standing Committee member told UNB on condition of anonymity.
“Our party is collecting detailed information about influential leaders who have strong local support but are either inactive or working against party candidates. We will try to persuade them to become active again, with the promise that their contributions will be evaluated if BNP forms the government,” he said.
The BNP leader said their party is under pressure as more than 50 leaders who did not receive nominations have entered the race as independent or rebel candidates.
He said nominations were finalised after analysing several field surveys and holding meetings with organising secretaries.
“The most suitable candidates were chosen from among multiple contenders. In some seats, candidates were even changed after review. As a large party, BNP has many capable leaders in most constituencies. But we can nominate only one candidate per seat. We also had to give up some seats for our alliance partners,” the BNP leader said.
He said many BNP leaders ignored the central decision and went ahead to contest as independent contenders.
In an effort to rein in the dissidents, the BNP leader said their party expelled nine leaders on December 30. “But the move did not produce the desired outcome. That is why Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman is now preparing to talk to them directly.”
Another BNP Standing Committee member said rebel candidates will be summoned to the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office next week.
“The party high command will clearly explain our election goals, strategy and final decisions. Tarique Rahman will personally urge them to withdraw their nominations before January 20,” he said.
Considering their past sacrifices during political movements, the BNP leader said the party is still taking a flexible approach towards rebel candidates. We have warned them about disciplinary action and tried to convince them in several ways. As a final step, our acting chairman will speak to them directly before any decision is taken.”
He said organisational secretaries and other responsible leaders have been tasked with arranging the meetings with Tarique Rahman. “BNP will wait until January 20, the final day for withdrawing nomination papers. If rebel candidates remain in the race after that, the party will take strict organisational action, including expulsion.”
The BNP leader said they think internal division could badly affect the party’s electoral prospects, especially amid concerns about Jamaat-e-Islami’s growing influence. “To counter that challenge, unity within the party is essential. Any visible division in the field could harm our chances.”
Alliance partners have also expressed concern, saying BNP rebels in seat-sharing constituencies could damage their prospects.
They stressed that BNP, as a major political force, should maintain discipline so alliance candidates can campaign freely without confusion among voters.
Contacted, BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said the party will continue efforts to resolve the issue democratically before taking harsh steps.
“We will observe the situation until the nomination process is fully completed. If necessary, decisions will be taken then,” he said.
Another Standing Committee member, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, said BNP remains committed to its seat-sharing agreements.
“We gave up some seats for our alliance partners as part of the anti-fascist movement. We will try to persuade rebel candidates until January 19. If they still refuse, organisational action will follow,” he said.
Under the seat-sharing arrangement for the 13th national parliamentary election, BNP has left 16 seats for alliance partners.
Registered partners are contesting under their own symbols, while unregistered allies are using BNP’s ‘Sheaf of Paddy’ symbol. BNP pledged not to field party candidates in those seats.
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Several BNP leaders, however, have entered the race independently in alliance-designated constituencies, creating tension on the ground.
Nagorik Oikya President Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Revolutionary Workers Party General Secretary Saiful Haque, and Ganosamhati Andolan Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki have already met Tarique Rahman, urging him to keep BNP candidates out of seats allocated to them.
Alliance partners remain uneasy as BNP independents are affecting campaigns, and some local BNP units are reluctant to fully support allies.