Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad has again changed his mind – for the second time in two days – and announced his intention to participate in the election, urging the BNP to take part in the polls-time cabinet.
The former military dictator on Monday officially announced quitting the Awami League-led ruling alliance.
On November 16, Ershad had told his party’s youth front Jatiya Jubo Sanghati that the nation would call him a traitor if the party took part in an election not participated by all parties, including the BNP.
The former military ruler, however, refrained from commenting on a separate alliance he had spoken of earlier.
“The prime minister has taken a step forward. Now, I am urging the BNP to come forward and take part in the all-party polls-time government,” Ershad told a press briefing before six of his party colleagues took the oath as ministers.
Briefing the media at his Banani office, he asserted that he would participate in the polls “to get to power,” not to put anyone else in power.
Meanwhile, a number of Jatiya Party leaders said those who had been eloquent about quitting the ruling alliance and joining the anti-government movement led by the BNP had gone to the side line following Ershad’s announcement of his wish to participate in the polls-time cabinet and the elections.
When asked why he was not seen among those who took oath on Monday, party’s Presidium member Kazi Firoze Rashid said: “I am blessed by not being among them.”
Kazi Zafar Ahmed, another Presidium member who has been in a hospital for three days, told the Dhaka Tribune that he would clear his position after talking to the party chairman in a couple of days.
Ershad said: “With the ongoing political turmoil, the country is heading towards a civil war and there is no alternative to shifting power through an election,” the former president said, adding that he would participate in the polls “to help the country.”
He, however, also warned of boycotting the elections if the government wanted to “rig” polls.
“We want everyone to participate in the polls.”
Ershad alleged that the two main political parties – the Awami League and the BNP – were controlling the country over their disparity and the fight for power. He blamed the two parties for the existing political crisis centring the polls-time government. “We do not want this.”
All parties should participate in the polls to maintain the democratic way of shifting power, he said, calling upon the BNP to sit in a dialogue to resolve the crisis.
Asked about the caretaker government system, he said: “I do not like the caretaker government. They all have been unkind to me…A fair and free election can be held without a caretaker government.”