BNP men rival for ticket, but united against JP

L-R: Abul Kashem, Mahmudul Hassan & Moniruzzaman Bulbul

Some leaders of Tangail district BNP affirmed their stand while talking to this correspondent.

Tangail-5 is among the 50 Jatiya Sangsad seats Ershad reportedly demanded as a condition for his joining the four-party alliance.

BNP's Maj. Gen. (Retd) Mahmudul Hassan was elected from the constituency in 2001 election with 96,544 votes while Awami League (AL) candidate Abdul Mannan ran second with 83,458 votes. Abdul Mannan died after the election.

Krishak Sramik Janata League (KSJL) candidate Murad Siddiqui was in third position with 68,168 votes while JP candidate industrialist Abul Kashem ran fourth with 50,256 votes.

Mahmudul Hassan, president of Tangail district BNP, has also a rival in the partyits secretary Moniruzzaman Bulbul. Both are campaigning, telling their followers that they would get nomination, party sources said.

Jatiya Party's Abul Kashem is also in the field, holding rallies and meeting people. He assured his party men that he would get alliance ticket if JP joins the alliance, party sources said.

Mahmudul Hassan was a minister in Ershad's cabinet during JP rule. He was elected from the constituency as JP candidate in 1991 election. Later, he joined BNP in 1994.

Mahmudul Hassan was elected in the 'controversial' election of February 15, 1996 as a BNP candidate but was defeated to Awami League (AL) candidate Abdul Mannan in June 12 election in the same year.

Some JP leaders talking to this correspondent claimed that prospects for their possible candidate Abul Kashem is bright this time because of intra-party feud in BNP.

"BNP has infighting in the constituency over nomination and its leaders and activists were divided in two blocks as their district unit president and secretary are seeking nomination," a JP leader said seeking anonymity.

On the other hand, BNP leaders known as supporters of Mahmudul Hassan said they will not accept JP man as an alliance candidate in the constituency. There is no alternative to Mahmudul Hassan to retain the seat, they claimed.

There is no confusion over party ticket for Mahmudul Hassan as most of the leaders and activists of Tangail BNP are united under his leadership Hassan, they added.

Bulbul loyalists also claimed that their leader is the 'most eligible person' for nomination as he has support among the grassroots level party activists. But like their party rivals, they also said they will not accept a JP candidate in the constituency.

"Moniruzzaman Bulbul should get the party ticket as he is a popular and genuine BNP man and very close to general party workers", one of his supporters said.