With the 13th National Parliament Election looming on the horizon, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) candidate selection process is now at the centre. It is a big question how ready or how well-thought-out decisions they are able to take to overcome the challenges facing the BNP, because this time, the selection of candidates is not just a phase of election preparation but a litmus test of party restructuring and revival.

At the heart of BNP's approach is its emphasis on field-level organisational capacity and active participation. The effectiveness of a political party depends on how strong the organisation is. In recent years, organisational weakness or inactiveness, largely resultant from the fascist Awami League’s oppression, has become an obstacle to BNP’s electoral success. Therefore, nominating local leaders who can provide effective leadership and maintain strong relations with the grassroots is a positive move for future politics because it would reduce the distance between the central leadership and grassroots workers. However, the million-dollar question is how scientific, objective and transparent will the instrument or criteria for evaluating organisational capacity be? Since past nominations have largely been clouded by personal influence and vested interest, the ghost of the past still haunts the process. The real test, therefore, lies in whether the BNP can exorcise these influences and usher in a merit-based and transparent selection mechanism.

Equally important is the party’s effective initiative to resolve internal disputes. However, the road to unity is apparently riddled with potholes. BNP’s approach to seek resolution through dialogues arranged at the party’s Gulshan office is a praiseworthy step, but examples are also there that such attempts serve as a double-edged sword. Along with its high chance to promote inclusiveness, this strategy opens the door for factionalism, backdoor lobbying and the emergence of rebel candidates. So, it is imperative to develop a culture of transparency and consent if this process is to be effective. Otherwise, if the party nomination turns into a war, this effort may backfire and give their political opponents an upper hand.

In parallel, the plan to quickly finalise a seat agreement with like-minded alliance partners is a pragmatic move due to the political reality of our electoral dynamics. For a long time, major parties have been relying on alliances and seat sharing. In the past elections, where unity failed, electoral seats were lost. Therefore, the BNP needs to reach an agreement with its partners so that they can start activities in the constituency without creating confusion among voters. However, the devil is in the details, as the vote bases of partners do not always align neatly with BNP’s core structure, which makes compromise a necessity. Yet, navigating this political minefield without triggering discontent or resentment is no small feat. Therefore, this is a risky strategy, which, if successful, will create an opportunity to increase power, and if unsuccessful, will hand the advantage to rivals on a silver platter.

Another positive dimension is the BNP’s apparent inclination to incorporate public opinion and survey data into the candidate nomination process, which marks a significant shift towards data-driven and voter-centric politics and proves that the BNP is aligning with the voters’ sentiments. But questions can also be raised about the credibility and transparency of these surveys since in Bangladesh political manipulation of data is not unheard of. So, instead of making surveys the sole basis for decisions, on-the-ground realities, candidates’ qualifications and contributions to the party should be taken into account to avoid putting all eggs in one basket.

Perhaps the most formidable challenges of BNP will be to enforce loyalty and maintain discipline. The party must tread carefully since denying nominations will largely create discontent and rebellion among leaders. BNP must crack the whip, where necessary, to prevent discontent from derailing its prospect. Suppressing rebel candidacy may prove to be a bitter pill to swallow, but it is a necessity.

Political analysis shows that prioritising leaders active in the movement will strengthen the party’s foundation because a political party can survive only when its leaders are connected to public opinion and lead during the struggle. Sidelining these leaders in favour of inactive, opportunist and disconnected figures would send the wrong message to the grassroots and could weaken the party’s credibility. Therefore, prioritising the movement in candidate selection is a sustainable political strategy.

Overall, the BNP’s candidate nomination process has become the bellwether of the party’s broader ambitions of political modernisation and renewal. True enough that the policies currently in play are aligned with long-overdue efforts to reform the party. Still, the road ahead is anything but smooth. The party faces a storm of political and social challenges, which can only be weathered through unity, transparency and decisive leadership.

Therefore, for BNP, candidate selection is not just about picking a name on the ballot but about setting the tone for political renaissance. For BNP, this is the time to prove that the party is no longer clinging to the ghosts of past glories but is a revitalised force ready to engage in the evolving democratic landscape with clarity, cohesion and conviction. But if the past ghost of cronyism, disunity and short-term thinking reappears, the party risks squandering this crucial opportunity.

_____________________________________

The writer is an Editorial Assistant at the Daily Sun