In a sudden move, former military dictator HM Ershad yesterday announced his Jatiya Party will not take party in the January 5 polls due to the “absence of an atmosphere” for an inclusive election.
“The Jatiya Party will not contest the 10th parliamentary election as all political parties have not yet submitted nomination papers for the polls,” Ershad said at a hurriedly called press conference in his Banani office.
Monday was the last date for submitting the nomination papers.
“All parties are not participating in the election…. There is no atmosphere for a free, fair and inclusive election. So, I am not taking part in the polls… I have kept my promise.”
He said his party candidates would withdraw the nomination papers. “I asked my party leaders to withdraw the nomination papers.”
Asked about the JP leaders who are in the polls-time cabinet, Ershad said he hoped they would resign. However, no decision has been taken in this regard.
The ruling Awami League seems not much worried about the dramatic announcement of the Jatiya Party chairman.
The main opposition BNP, though sceptical of Ershad’s decision, wants to take some instant political mileage from it to intensify the agitations.
“We don’t trust him [Ershad] for his unpredictable character. But his announcement is positive for our movement. And we will take political mileage from it,” a senior BNP leader close to Khaleda Zia told The Daily Star on condition anonymity.
Osman Faruk, a vice-chairman of BNP, said Ershad’s announcement proved that there is no atmosphere for a free and fair election.
In a press release, BNP Joint Secretary General Salahuddin Ahmed welcomed Ershad’s quitting the race and urged the government to cancel the polls schedule.
Ershad’s U-turn came as a surprise for his party colleagues as they had no prior idea of the decision.
On November 18, Ershad announced to run for the election and said the JP would quit the AL-led grand alliance to contest the polls independently. His six party leaders joined the election-time cabinet while another became the prime minister’s adviser.
Now the question is whether the most unpredictable man in the country’s politics would stick to his decision as he several times earlier had changed his mind to join the polls, said many even JP leaders.
Some senior AL leaders, including Suranjit Sengupta and Obaidul Quader, claimed the former dictator would change his mind soon when the seat-sharing deal will be finalised.
Ershad had sought more than 100 parliamentary seats in the polls to play the role of the main opposition in the new parliament. The AL had initially agreed to give Jatiya Party 70 seats.
But the AL changed its mind and offered Jatiya Party around 30 seats which annoyed Ershad, according to AL insiders.
“This issue will be settled very soon. And Ershad will change his decision by the last date for withdrawal of nomination papers [December 13],” a senior AL leader told The Daily Star on condition of anonymity.
If an agreement is finalised, then some AL candidates may withdraw nomination papers to leave some seats to JP, AL insiders added.
As the BNP-led opposition is set to boycott the election, the ruling AL has leaned on Jatiya Party to make the election credible.
There is also an allegation that Ershad might have sought Tk 1,000 crore from the AL to contest the polls.
He, however, outright rejected the allegation and said “I would not have announced to quit the election had I taken the money.”
Ershad’s yesterday’s announcement cheered up the opposition alliance whose confidence is already bolstered for the poor participation of political parties in filing nomination papers and the failure of the government’s reported efforts to split the BNP and its alliance.
Leaders from only 20 out of 41 registered political parties filed nomination till Monday. The number is the lowest since 1991. Even the farcical election in February 1996 was contested by 43 political parties.
Thirty-eight parties took part in the 2008 parliamentary polls, 54 in 2001, 81 in June 1996 and 75 parties in 1991, according to EC documents.
Some BNP leaders yesterday said Ershad’s announcement to quit the electoral race would boost the morale of opposition leaders and supporters.
If Ershad finally quits the polls, then it will be almost impossible for the government to proceed for the January 5 election.
Even if Ershad changes his mind a few days later, it will expose the government’s desperation to hold the polls anyhow. This will also benefit the opposition parties, they added.
Source: The Daily Star
