On the campaign trail: It all boils down to 3 contenders

Netrakona-3, a constituency comprised of Kendua and Atpara upazilas, is going to see a three-way battle among an incumbent and two former lawmakers.

All three of them – Ashim Kumar Ukil, current MP, and former lawmakers Iftiqur Uddin Talukder Pintu and Monjur Kader Kuraishi – have their own strong vote banks.

Pintu, who failed to secure the AL ticket in the 2018 national polls, appears to have the edge over his rivals due to his constant contact with the locals.

Meanwhile, limited interaction with the constituents during his tenure put Ashim, cultural secretary of central AL,  in an unfavourable situation, according to locals.

Former MP Monjur, however, seems lagging behind the two in terms of campaigns and support from the locals.

Though Pintu is contesting the polls as an "AL independent", local party leaders – Kendua upazila AL former general secretary Nurul Alam Jahangir, Kendua municipality AL Vice Chairman Muffazal Hossain, and the upazila AL Vice President Abu Taher – along with some local BCL and Jubo League leaders are actively backing him and seeking votes for him.

On the other hand, majority of the top-tier leaders and activists in the upazila and district units are supporting Ashim, which might bring a positive outcome for him in the polls, locals said.

"If you compare Pintu with the sitting MP, Pintu has a clean image and acceptability here," said Abu Taleb Shatil, a voter of the constituency. Many other voters said that during his term as an MP, he was not accused of any irregularities for which people are now supporting him more.

Rafiqul Islam, a CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver in Kendua, said, "Ashim Babu used to come here every Friday and Saturday but did not meet general people here, which has aggrieved many.

"However, it's good that he has admitted it was wrong of him and has begun going from door to door seeking votes."

Voters in Bolaishimul union, the largest union under Kendua upazila, with 16,000 voters, have expressed disappointment with Ashim for his role in constructing houses, under the Ashrayan Project, on a 100-year-old playground, which may prove to be a disadvantage for him in the polls.

There are 3,94,513 voters in Netrakona-3.

Several district level AL leaders, preferring anonymity, told The Daily Star that they think a higher voter turnout might bring positive results for Pintu in the January 7 polls due to his popularity among the masses.