JP to compete alone if BNP abstains from polls: Ershad
Prime Minister’s Special Envoy and Jatiya Party (JP) Chairman Alhaj Hussein Muhammad Ershad has said his party will compete in all 300 parliamentary constituencies if BNP abstains from the next general elections, reports BSS.
“If BNP participates in the next polls, JP will remain in the grand alliance led by Awami League (AL),” Ershad said this at a view-sharing meeting held at the residence of former Ambassador Major (Retd) Ashraf-Ud-Dowla in Chilmari upazila town of Kurigram on Sunday.
Presided over by Member of the Parliament (MP) from Kurigram-3 seat Professor Dr Akkas Ali Sarker, a large number of local JP leaders and workers attended the meeting.
Ashraf-Ud-Dowla, also Diplomatic Adviser of Ershad, delivered welcome speech in the meeting also addressed by Whip of the Opposition in Jatiya Sangshad Shawkat Ali Chowdhury, MP, Mostafizur Rahman, MP, President of Kurigram district JP Chowdhury Shafikul Islam and President of Chilmari upazila JP AKM Fazlul Haque Siddique.
Ershad said, “We have kept 800 candidates ready for 300 parliamentary constituencies to compete in the next general elections if BNP does not join the race. In that case, we will compete in all 300 parliamentary seats alone.”
Terming Kurigram-Rangpur region as a neglected area, Ershad stressed on setting up industries and factories to create employments for the local people so that they would not need to go to Dhaka and other regions for jobs.
He called upon leaders and workers of JP to enhance organisational activities at grassroots and acquire enough strength for guarding the polling centres during the next general elections.
Earlier, Ershad exchanged views with local journalists at Kurigram Circuit House.
The former president told local journalists that a mini cabinet would be formed before the next general elections and JP would be in it.
Deputy Commissioner of Kurigram Sultana Pervin, Mostafizur Rahman Mosta, MP, Professor Dr Akkas Ali Sarker, MP, and Vice-president of JP’s central committee Major (Retd) Abdus Salam, among others, were present.
