Dhaka, April 23 (BDNEWS) – The unity bid of three factions of the Jatiya Party (JP) has failed due to unwillingness of the top leaders of the two factions.
Though they responded to the call of the Jatiya Party (JP-Ershad) chief Hussain Muhammad Ershad, they did not agree with the proposal of unity.
Except Ershad leaders of those two other factions want to join either the ruling party or the opposition alliance on the question of participating in the next election.
BJP secretary general Kazi Firoz Rashid after his return to JP (Ershad) became political secretary to Ershad and it was he who took the initiative to bring the three factions of the JP together, sources said.
It is in continuation with this process that JP (Manju) chairman Anwar Hossain Manju has recently called on JP (Ershad) chairman Ershad but he did not respond positively to the question of unity and nor did BJP president Naziur Rahman Manju.
BJP secretary general Saifur Rahman told BDNEWS in this regard, "I know nothing about the unity. Though we are not in the government BJP belongs to the four-party alliance and it will be with the four-party alliance."
He said that the next election would be held under the leadership of the two alliances. One will lead the Bangladeshi nationalists and the other Bangalee nationalist.
Under the circumstances unity will yield no benefit. We might get 30 seats through unity but cannot go to power, he said.
Additional secretary general of JP Sadek Siddique told BDNEWS, "We are more interested to join a major alliance than the unity of JP. We are to join an alliance for power. A declaration will be given from the national council of JP on May 24."
During the AL regime in 1996 JP was split in two with one led by acting chairman Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury and another by secretary general Anwar Hossain Manju. After split one faction of JP sided with the then government. Later, Anwar Hossain Manju was elected chairman of the faction.
The JP led by Ershad joined the BNP-led seven-party alliance. Ershad quit the alliance over the seat distribution during the parliament election but Naziur Rahman Manju stayed back with the alliance.
He floated Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) along with Kazi Firoz Rashid and joined the four-party alliance. After the four-party coalition came to power BJP was not given any berth in the government but still they are with the coalition.
BDNEWS/1754 hrs
