A section of leaders and activist of Jatiya Party (JP) has expressed displeasure with party Chief HM Ershad’s decision to support the Awami League-backed candidate at the 11th hour of the Gazipur City Corporation polls.
In the GCC polls concluded Saturday, opposition BNP-backed MA Mannan won a sweeping victory over the ruling party-backed Azmat Ullah Khan. The margin was more than 156,000 votes.
On July 4, just two days before the GCC elections, former military ruler HM Ershad, a key ally of the ruling Awami League-led alliance, said his party would fully support the alliance-backed candidate Azmat Ullah Khan.
Ershad’s decision came only a day after he had declared that JP had not extended its support to any mayoral candidate.
A number of JP men told the Dhaka Tribune that party chief’s last moment decision to back Awami League and the opposition backed candidate’s huge victory had tarnished the party’s image. They believe HM Ershad has made a wrong move which will hurt the party come the national elections.
A presidium member of the party, preferring to be unnamed, said: “Some pro-Awami League leaders of JP have misguided our chief. That was why he had been giving contradictory statements.
“People are asking our local leaders and activists why Ershad had changed his decision. I think it will turn out be a problematic issue in the upcoming parliament election,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.
Kazi Ranjon, a grassroots level leader of the party, said: “Sir [Ershad] wants to save his life. He does not want party men to be active. He cannot take a decision at the last minute and expect us to do much in the field.”
A vice-chairman of the party, also seeking anonymity, said: “Ershad has gown old. He has taken a wrong decision [to back Azmat] at a wrong time… the leaders and activists in Gazipur could not obey his order because the decision was taken at the last minute.”
However, other top leaders of the party defended the party chief’s decision saying it was the right decision because they had no other option.
“The party chief has never taken any wrong decision. Our activists may not understand this now but they will do so in a few months’ time,” said party Secretary General ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlader.
JP Presidium Member Kazi Firoq Rashid told the Dhaka Tribune: “The last time Ershad supported the Awami League-backed candidate had no negative impact on the party activists.”
“Ershad’s decision is always final for our party and we believe our chief cannot make any wrong decision,” he added.