After not including representatives from allies in the cabinet, the ruling Awami League now says that it will not participate in the Upazila elections as an alliance.
“Awami League members will contest the Upazila elections with ‘boat’ (party logo). We are not taking part as a coalition,” its General Secretary Obaidul Quader said on Tuesday (Jan 15).
Urging allies in the 14-party Alliance and Grand Alliance to field their own candidates, he made it clear that the boat symbol will be reserved for Awami League Upazila chairman aspirants.
Quader’s remarks came while addressing a party meeting on preparations for the Jan 19 victory rally at the capital’s Suhrawardy Udyan.
For the first time, the Upazila polls will be held in party lines. Previously, the political parties had unofficially supported to the candidates, but this time the aspirants will be contesting with the party’s logo.
The Election Commission has revealed has announced the polls to the Upazila councils will be held in five phases starting from early March.
The Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed-led Commission administered the last Upazila elections in six phases between February and May in 2014 after the 10th national election on Jan 5 that year.
The first Upazila council elections were held in 1985 in 460 upazilas while the last one was held in 2014 in 487 upazilas.