Jatiya Party in turmoil as Raushan opts out, AL pressure mount

Jatiya Party candidates find themselves in a fix as the Awami League (AL) appears reluctant to share seats with their party in the upcoming election. 

Adding to the challenges, Raushan Ershad, leader of the opposition in the 11th parliament and chief patron of the Jatiya Party, has decided not to contest this time.

Raushan Ershad cited the undervaluation of the party's leaders as the reason for her withdrawal from the electoral race, marking the first time in over three decades that the Jatiya Party will be without her presence in an election.

Notably, Raushan Ershad's son Saad Ershad has also refrained from seeking any party or independent nomination, further complicating the party's electoral prospects. In contrast, the opposition chief whip, Mashiur Rahaman Ranga, and former general secretary of the party, has chosen to run as an independent candidate from his constituency, Rangpur-1.

The internal conflict within the Jatiya Party, known as the Raushan-Quader conflict, has seen Mashiur Rahaman Ranga aligning with Raushan Ershad, resulting in his dismissal from all party posts by party Chairman GM Quader last year. Since then, Mashiur Rahaman Ranga has become a prominent leader in the Raushan circle.

Addressing reporters on Wednesday night, Raushan Ershad expressed her disappointment with the Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader and Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu for their non-cooperation, alleging that tested leaders and workers were overlooked in the nomination process.

Despite several attempts by Jatiya Party leaders to convince Raushan Ershad to reconsider her decision, their efforts have proven futile, leading to a significant number of her followers abstaining from seeking nominations.

Mashiur Rahaman Ranga, speaking to reporters, announced his candidacy as an independent, emphasising the group's stance that those with power should contest. Disputes over bringing expelled members back to the party, constituency disagreements, and internal party conflicts have led to the decision of key figures like Raushan Ershad, Saad Ershad, and Mashiur Rahaman Ranga not to seek nominations.

Unnamed sources within the party allege strategic removals of Raushan supporters, claiming that the primary objective was to keep Raushan Ershad out of power.

With Raushan Ershad opting out of the election, the Jatiya Party's Upazila President, Abu Musa Sarkar, has been nominated for her constituency, Mymensingh-4 (Sadar) seat, while the Awami League has fielded Mahibur Rahman as its candidate.

Meanwhile, Mashiur Rahaman Ranga has taken nomination papers as an independent candidate from Rangpur-1, and Ziaul Haque Mridha from Brahmanbaria-2 seat. In Mashiur Rahaman Ranga's constituency, Jatiya Party's candidate is Mokbul Shahriar Asif, while the Awami League's candidate is Rezaul Karim.

GM Quader has submitted nomination papers for Dhaka-17 and Rangpur-3. In 2018, after Ershad's death, Saad Ershad became a member of parliament from Rangpur-3 in the by-election. This time, GM Quader himself submitted his nomination papers in this constituency.

Amidst the internal strife, the Awami League has also nominated candidates in various constituencies, setting the stage for a complex and challenging electoral landscape for the Jatiya Party.

Raushan Ershad's political secretary, Golam Moshi, revealed to The Business Standard that they have decided to withdraw from the election due to insults and lack of cooperation from GM Quader and Mujibul Haque Chunnu. The group plans to decide on their next steps in the future.