The Awami League is still hopeful the Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad will
withdraw his decision to boycott the next general elections and is party
will eventually contest the polls, scheduled for January 5.
Leaders of the ruling party say that Ershad changes
his mind frequently, so they believe he would eventually change his latest decision and participate in the polls.
Hoping that Jatiya Party would return to the polls race, the AL leaders
have avoided harsh comments on Ershad’s latest decision to pull out of
the polls-time government and the election.
The AL suffered a major setback on Tuesday last when HM Ershad announced
that Jatiya Party, the country’s third largest political party and a
key ally of the ruling alliance, would not participate in the elections,
attributing its sudden decision to lack of proper election atmosphere
and participation of all political parties.
AL advisory council member Suranjit Sengupta on Friday said Ershad had
been in the polls race, still remained in the polls and finally would
stay in the polls.
‘He [Ershad] will assist the government to transfer power to the next
government through elections,’ he said while addressing a discussion
meeting organised by Bangabandhu Academy at the National Press Club.
AL advisory council member Amir Hossain Amu, while briefing reporters
after a meeting at the party chief’s Dhanmondi office on Thursday night,
said that it would not be wise to make prediction about Jatiya Party
which changed position frequently.
‘But we are still hopeful about the party [Jatiya Party]… Wait and see what happens,’ he said.
An AL presidium member told New Age that the prime minister was directly
handling the matter to reach an understanding with Ershad in a bid to
bring his party back to the polls race.
‘We will wait for Jatiya Party till the last date for withdrawal of
nomination papers on December 13. Awami League will take part in the
election along with its alliance partners and other political parties if
the Jatiya Party finally stays out,’ he said.
Asked about Ershad’s decision to pull out of the polls race, AL general
secretary Syed Ashraful Islam on Wednesday declined comments and said,
‘Wait and see…’
Two ministers and a state minister of the JP who went to the Prime
Minister’s Office on Thursday for submitting their resignations to prime
minister Sheikh Hasina as directed by Ershad, returned without doing
so. The prime minister requested the three JP leaders to reconsider
their decision for the sake of democracy and continuation of the
constitutional process, PMO sources said. (source)