Fierce rivalry for ticket in Kishoreganj-1

The press conference was held at Kishoreganj Press Club amid police guard as at least 30 activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) loyal to Abdus Salam earlier threatened them not to hold it.

It was addressed by Khandaker Md. Shajahan, Maj. (rtd) ABM Siddique, Mahmuduzaman Ripon and Azharul Islam.

The two main contenders for alliance nomination from Kishoreganj-1 constituency (Pakundia-Hussainpur upazilas) are Idris Ali, backed by Housing Minister Mirza Abbas and Abdus Salam, backed by Education Minister Osman Farruk, also president of Kishoreganj district BNP. Mirza Abbas is minister-in-charge for the district.

Idris Ali contested the 2001 election as an alliance candidate but lost to Awami League's Dr Alauddin Ahmed, former vice chancellor of Jahangirnagar University, with a margin of only 114 votes. Dr Alauddin got 86,623 votes while Idris Ali got 86509 votes.

Abdus Salam is secretary of Dhaka city BNP. He was introduced as an alliance nominee from the constituency by Osman Farruk at a public meeting held at Bahadia High Schools ground in Pakundia upazila last month. The meeting was boycotted by Pakundia upazila BNP leaders, party sources said.

At yesterday's press conference, the rival BNP leaders alleged that Abdus Salam is not a man from Kishoreganj-1 constituency though he claims that his forefathers were inhabitants of the area.

Mahmuduzaman Ripon, secretary of Pakundia union BNP, alleged that Abdus Salam's followers threatened and insulted senior BNP leaders of two upazilas prior to the press conference.

"He (Abdus Salam) will have to face the consequence for his stupidity", Ripon said.

They alleged that Abdus Salam created a rift in the part in the area. Several party committees were dissolved at his behest, they alleged.

They also claimed that party men in Pakundia and Hussainpur upazilas do not support Abdus salam as he dissolved the committees to place his men with an ill motive.

The BNP leaders also alleged that Abdus Salam's men were threatening party leaders at union levels that their committees would be dissolved if they side with Idris Ali.

They said they will accept any nominee except Abdus Salam.

Earlier, a half-day hartal was enforced by local BNP in Pakundia upazila after dissolution of the upazila committee.

The two factions organised separate programmes on BNP's founding day.