10-Party alliance: Jamaat to take most vacant seats after IAB exit

After weeks of drama, the Jamaat-e-Islami-led electoral alliance is now set to redistribute seats following the exit of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, ahead of the start of campaigning for the 13th parliamentary election.

The development has opened up the possibility of an increase in seat allocations for the National Citizen Party (NCP) and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis.

Sources said that of the 47 seats that the alliance had kept undecided while “waiting” for Islami Andolan, Jamaat may now claim at least 37 for itself. 

Most of the remaining seats are likely to be shared between the NCP and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, though several other partners have demanded more allocations.

There is also discussion that a few constituencies may be kept open, as more than one party has taken a rigid stance on those seats. 

All these issues are expected to be settled through meetings among top leaders of Jamaat, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, and the NCP.

Jamaat Assistant Secretary General and publicity chief Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair told The Daily Star: “First, the liaison committee formed to discuss seat sharing will prepare a proposal. After the top leaders finalise it, an official announcement will be made.” 

He added that despite Islami Andolan announcing it would contest independently, the door remains open for the party to return to the alliance.

“We have always said that our door is open to everyone. That has always been our message, and that message still stands,” Zubair told reporters at the party office in Moghbazar yesterday.

On Thursday, top leaders of 10 parties under Jamaat’s leadership announced at a press conference that the seat-sharing deal had been finalised for 253 constituencies, with 47 left vacant for Islami Andolan.

In the seat-sharing arrangement announced in Islami Andolan’s absence, Jamaat alone took 179 seats. 

Among the partners, the NCP received 30 seats, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis 20, Khelafat Majlis 10, LDP seven, Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party) three, Bangladesh Nizam-e-Islam Party two and Bangladesh Development Party two.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon and the Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (Jagpa) announced they would not field candidates this time, citing Jamaat’s assurance of “due consideration” after the election.

On Friday, Islami Andolan declared at a press conference at its central office in Old Paltan that it would contest the election independently, stating that it had been ignored and disrespected by Jamaat.

With the alliance now failing to reach a consensus, preparations are underway to field candidates in the vacant seats.

A senior leader of the Jamaat-led alliance, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “There is really no time left now for all parties to sit together and discuss what to do with the vacant seats. A section of the top leaders will sit and finalise it. Essentially, these 47 seats will be distributed among Jamaat, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis and the NCP. The larger share will go to Jamaat.”

Asked how many seats each party might get, he said, “It is not final yet. As per the preliminary discussions, Jamaat may take 37 to 38 seats. The remaining ones will be divided between the NCP and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis.”

NCP leaders, seeking anonymity, told The Daily Star that they have asked to be allocated at least 10 more seats while discussions continue.

Monira Sharmin, joint convener and general secretary of the Election Management Committee, said, “The NCP has already confirmed 30 seats, although 27 of them have been publicly announced. We are now trying to secure a few more.”

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Senior Nayeb-e-Ameer Maulana Yusuf Ashraf told The Daily Star, “Beyond the 20 seats, we may get another five or six.”

He noted that in three constituencies, Faridpur-4, Kishoreganj-1, and Sunamganj-3, multiple alliance partners have fielded candidates. 

“These may be kept open. In early February, whichever party is ahead will be supported by the others.”

Meanwhile, Khelafat Majlis Secretary General Ahmad Abdul Qader, whose party received 10 seats in the initial deal, said they are now seeking four to five more. 

AB Party Chairman Mojibur Rahman Monju, whose party was allotted three seats, said yesterday afternoon, “We have requested Jamaat to allocate another five seats for us.”