After weeks of speculation, the Jatiya Party (JaPa) has officially announced its participation in the upcoming 12th parliamentary elections.
JaPa Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu confirmed the development during a formal briefing at the Jatiya Party chairman’s Banani office on Wednesday afternoon.
He said his party wants to contest in all 300 seats independently, without forming alliances with other political entities.
Chunnu said: "The Election Commission has assured us that the polls will be free, impartial and acceptable. Voters will be able to exercise their right to franchise.
“We have almost completed all our preparations ahead of the elections. We have sold around 1,400 nomination forms till the afternoon. In almost every constituency, more than one interested candidate has accepted the nomination form,” he added.
On November 19, Chief Patron of JaPa and leader of the opposition in parliament Raushan Ershad and JaPa Secretary Mujibul Haque Chunnu sent separate letters to the Election Commission.
In her letter, Raushan Ershad said that the Jatiya Party has decided to contest the 12th parliamentary elections as a partner in the Awami League-led grand alliance for the fourth time in continuation of the past three parliamentary elections.
She said that it will be an electoral alliance only.
After the polls, elected parliament members of the Jatiya Party will follow the party decision, she mentioned in the letter.
Raushan Ershad also mentioned in the letter that all nominated candidates of the Jatiya Party can choose the party symbol “Langal” (Plough) or a candidate, as per his or her desire. Besides, being allied with the grand alliance, candidates exercise their options of adopting election symbols.
On the other hand, the letter from the JaPa secretary general noted that party chairman GM Quader would pick candidates and assign them the party symbol.
At a press conference after the submission of the letter, Chunnu said the letter was sent as a formality ahead of the election and the actual decision to participate would be taken in the following few days.