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AL relies on grassroots

Selection of MP candidates begins

Hasan Jahid Tusher
Grassroots leaders of the ruling Awami League yesterday began the process of selecting party candidates for the upcoming parliamentary elections.
In a unique selection procedure, they would propose three names from their constituency and evaluate the prospective candidates asking them 10 questions on their image, education, popularity, financial strength and connection with the grassroots and the people. The questions carry 100 marks in total.
Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina laid out the idea at a meeting with the grassroots leaders of seven districts at Gono Bhaban.
How popular is the candidate? What is the status of his or her finances? How is his or her relationship with the party grassroots and the people? How long has he or she been with the party? These were a few of the questions a candidate aspirant would be asked.
"It seems it is an exam hall and we are sitting for exams," a leader told The Daily Star after the meeting.
This system, if used, would apparently come as a blow to many incumbent lawmakers, who had become isolated from the grassroots in the last four and a half years.
Awami League grassroots leaders had long been demanding that the party chief takes measures to bridge the gap between the lawmakers and the leaders of units to avert a debacle in the next general elections. They now could have the opportunity to evaluate and choose from the party leaders seeking nomination for the next election.
Addressing the meeting with the grassroots leaders of Bhola, Gazipur, Dinajpur, Jamalpur, Rajbari, Manikganj and Lalmonirhat, Hasina said the grassroots' opinions should be given high priority in the selection of candidates.
Nominations for the next elections would be given on the basis of the grassroots' evaluation and the party's survey reports, she said.
The party has conducted several surveys to know who the prospective candidates could be and to gather information on them.
"We will add your numbers to those of the survey reports and choose the candidates," the Awami League president told the grassroots leaders.
The prime minister directed them to publicise government's success stories in their areas and work together forgetting enmities and feuds to secure victory in the next polls.
Hasina urged all other political parties to nominate MP candidates upon consulting with their grassroots leaders as, according to Hasina, the grassroots always know the pros and cons of their local MP aspirants.
The next general election would be held as per constitutional provisions, and the Awami League-led government would make sure of the continuation of democracy, she said.
Hasina also assured people that the elections would be free, fair and neutral. She sought their support in ensuring that no extra-constitutional elements could take over.
Hasina held a section of the civil society members responsible for "all problems" in the country and claimed that they wanted to bring in an unconstitutional government fortheir own interests.
More than 40 grassroots leaders attended the meeting and some of them pointed out that the state of the party was not good in some places. They recommended strengthening party activities in those areas. Some leaders alleged that a few lawmakers do not even keep in touch with them.