With the country gearing up for its 12th parliamentary elections, the political landscape is abuzz with excitement and controversy.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), a major political entity in the country, has announced its boycott of the elections, calling for a nationwide strike and blockade.
Simultaneously, the ruling Awami League is witnessing heightened enthusiasm among its nominated candidates.
From Sunday, a notable term gaining traction in political circles is “dummy candidate.”
Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued a warning to the party’s nomination aspirants, emphasizing that unopposed elections would have consequences.
Sheikh Hasina urged each candidate to have a party-designated “dummy candidate.”
Following her directive, Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader declared on Monday that the party has no objection to fielding dummy candidates.
The concept of a “dummy candidate” has become a focal point of discussions across the country.
What is a ‘dummy candidate?’
A dummy candidate, in the context of elections, refers to an individual who stands for election with little to no intention of winning.
These candidates can play various roles within the electoral landscape.
In voting, a dummy candidate strategically directs preferences to other candidates, aiming to bolster the share of votes for a more serious contender.
This tactic is often employed to influence the dynamics of the electoral outcome.
Serious candidates may utilize dummy candidates to navigate restrictions on advertising or campaign financing.
Notably, instances in India have emerged where serious candidates field multiple dummy candidates, channeling poll expenses towards their own campaign but reporting it to the election commission under the names of these dummies.
Also, the use of dummy candidates becomes particularly intriguing when names closely resembling those of established candidates are brought into play.
Political parties may deploy such candidates to perplex voters and diminish the vote share of the genuine candidate.
Dummy candidates may adopt names deceptively similar to those of retiring incumbents, former candidates or officeholders, or even deceased individuals who previously held office.
A striking example from the 2014 Indian general elections involves multiple candidates named Chandu Lal Sahu and Chandu Ram Sahu in Chhattisgarh.
In this case, the serious candidate, Chandu Lal Sahu of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), secured 503,514 votes with a razor-thin winning margin of only 1,217 votes. The dummy candidates, however, garnered votes intended for him, with one of them securing a third-place finish in the constituency.
It’s worth noting that dummy candidates can also emerge when candidates withdraw from a race but are unable to remove their names from the ballot, persisting as a listed choice in the election.
Why in the 12th national election?
The Awami League’s interest in the “dummy candidate” concept is seen as an election strategy, particularly in response to concerns that several political parties, including the BNP, may not participate in the upcoming election.
Sheikh Hasina’s directive aims to prevent unopposed victories, a scenario observed in the 10th national election in 2014.
The issue gains in importance given that nomination papers for candidates can be canceled or rejected for various reasons during the polls, potentially leaving seats uncontested or with only Awami League candidates.
The party’s emphasis on multiple candidates in each seat is a precautionary measure against potential withdrawals and to avoid unopposed victories.
Moreover, the looming dilemma regarding possible coalitions and the prospect of party withdrawals before the nomination withdrawal deadline contribute to the strategic considerations of the Awami League’s high command.
As election fervor intensifies, the concept of “dummy candidates” continues to be an intriguing subject of debate in the country’s political landscape.
