Jatiya Party (JaPa) Chairman and candidate for Rangpur-3 constituency GM Quader on Saturday said his party did not negotiate any seat-sharing deal with the Awami League.
The party is participating in the election to ensure fair polls and not for any sort of seat allocation, he said.
Regarding misconceptions about JaPa’s election participation, he said: “We are not conducting the upcoming election under any party and there are no seat-sharing agreements with the Awami League. Though JaPa was previously part of Awami League but the party is no longer a member of any alliance.”
Jatiya Party (JaPa) Chairman GM Quader said these to journalists in Rangpur on Saturday afternoon.
“The administration will have to play a neutral role in this election, avoiding the use of muscle power and illegal financial influence and sticking to election regulations. If these conditions are not met, the party will take further actions,” he added.
After the announcement of the Jatiya Party's participation in the election, GM Quader did not come in front of the press even once, saying: "I have not said anything for various reasons so far, but I want to talk today after coming to Rangpur."
“Before preparing to go to the election, we were always afraid whether the government would hold a fair election to cross the electoral barrier. However, the government and the Election Commission have assured us that the election will be free, fair, neutral and participatory, that's why we have decided to participate in the election,” he added.
"Although the overall situation of the country seems normal externally, there is fear among the people as we are going through a critical political situation. BNP has announced the fall of the government. In this situation, where the government is determined about conducting elections, we have had to consider many issues," said GM Quader.
Internal disputes
About internal disputes within the party, he said: "I was under tremendous threat as instability was instigated in the party centring the election. We had to manage everything to try to make new leadership. There have been many risks, including trying to make new leadership without us. We are not risk-free yet.”
"We have always had to monitor politics to keep the party alive to do the right thing at the right time,” he added.
"People now recognize me by one name across Rangpur and the entire country, and my acceptance has also increased abroad.," he said.
He remembered his elder brother late Ershad and said: "He created history by winning five seats twice in a row from prison. People from various countries remember him."
GM Quader said: "When I die, I request to be buried next to my parents in the Munshipara graveyard in the city. I have informed my family about this and have already purchased the land there. I was born in Rangpur and wish to be buried here."
