The main political opposition BNP is likely to pick up new faces from former JCD leaders and include some minority community members and female aspirants to fight the upcoming 11th general election.
The party will finalise its candidates for 230 seats keeping aside 70 seats for its two alliance partners.
Nominations will be given based on a survey conducted across the country by the party’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman.
Tarique Rahman is conducting interviews of the party’s nomination seekers via video conference.
Party senior leaders hinted that they may pick some new faces, from ex- Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) leaders who have popularity in their respective constituencies to replace the old ones.
Also they are likely to nominate some minority community members and female aspirants from their party and the alliances to appease the civil society members and foreign friends.
Tarique Rahman is also giving party nomination seekers necessary directives to get united and work hard for the party to ensure its victory, no matter whether they are given nomination or not.
Dummy contenders
The party leaders said they also plan to field at least three dummy contenders in every parliamentary seat who will contest as independent runners.
The dummy contenders will check possible manipulation in the election so that the party and its alliances can employ sufficient number of polling agents at every booth of 42,000 voting centres on the voting day.
The main aim of the strategy is to ensure the presence of its candidates in all constituencies if any candidate's nomination is cancelled for any reason during the scrutiny.
Final list of candidates
The party senior leaders said they may not disclose the final list of the candidates of their party and alliance partners till one or two days before the expiry of deadline for the withdrawal of candidature for some strategic reasons.
As per the election schedule, the last date for withdrawal of candidature is December 9.
They and their allies are keeping sharp eye on the seat sharing process of Awami League to make it easier for them to win those seats as the ruling party may face intra-party conflicts in this area, asenior leader of BNP said.
"We know will have to win the polls following a good strategy under the current political context and the adversities. We will be very strategic in every process of the election from the selection of candidates to selection of polling agents," the BNP leader said.
BNP sold 4,580 nomination papers among those who want to contest the 11th parliamentary elections with its tickets.
Senior BNP leaders said they still did not finalize the issue of seat sharing with their partners of Jatiya Oikya Front and its 20-party alliance. The partners are mounting pressure by submitting lists of their candidates.
Alliance partners list
ASM-Abdur Rob-led Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) sent a list of its 132 candidates while Nagorik Oikya 35 through their separate press releases on November 17.
Gano Forum has not yet made any list public, the party leaders said they are very reasonable regarding seat sharing, and they will be happy if BNP gives them 20-25 seats.
Gono Forum presidium member said Dr Kamal Hossain want some noted persons to contest under the banner of the OikyaFront.
How many seats do partners want?
Krishak Sramik Janata League and Jatiya Oikya Prokriya also want 10 more seats.
Of the 20-praty partners, Jamaat wants at least 40 seats, LDP and Khelafat Majlish 20, 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.
BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said “We are in negotiations with our party leaders and alliance partners about the seat-sharing issue, and will disclose it in due course.”
He said they have many competent candidates in every constituency, but they will pick candidates based on current political reality.
BNP’s Standing committee member Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain said ‘We may not disclose the final decision on seat sharing until December 7.”
BNP is confident that it will not face any problems either by its alliance partners or the party leaders to finalize candidates for 300 seats as all are now giving importance to win the election with a united effort, Mosharraf said.
BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed said they will pick the most deserving candidates who willbe successful. "We all have agreed that we should nominate candidates who have the best chance to win."
Another party standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy said it is very tough job for them to finalize candidates from so many competent ones in each constituency.
"We want to accomplish the job competently and neutrally. We'll consider candidates popularity, acceptability, capability, educational quality and their sacrifices and contributions--before finalising the candidates.
A BNP senior leader said they may offer Dr Kamal Hossain to contest the polls either from a seat in Feni or Bogra, BNP's two strongholds, to ensure his victory.
He also said most of senior leaders of the key alliance partners will be given chance to contest the polls as they all have agreed to utilize BNP's election symbol sheaf of paddy.