JP to trigger off tug-of-war for tickets in greater Rangpur

They are being haunted by a common concern: Who is gong to be scarified in the wake of new polarisation.

Talking to this correspondent, some JP leaders said Ershad has demanded 50 parliamentary seats, 20 of them in grater Rangpur, and four cabinet posts as conditions to join the alliance.

He will not compromise on the 20 seats in greater Rangpur because chances of bagging seats elsewhere are bleak, and this is known to the party high command, they said.

In 2001 election, JP bagged 13 seats out of 22 in greater Rangpur and ran second in three other seats. BNP men contested in 12 constituencies in greater Rangpur as alliance candidates and got three. Its candidates ran second in three other seats.

Contesting for nine seats, Jamaat men got two and were in second position in four others.

In 1996 general election, JP got 18 seats, Jamaat one with BNP was nil in greater Rangpur.

"We deserve the right to get alliance nomination in all 22 seats as we are doing good in successive terms in greater Rangpur even after our party chief left power in 1990", said JP Presidium member Ahsan Ahmed.

JP central joint general secretary NK Alam said, "We will probably claim a few seats in other districts but greater Rangpur in our stronghold".

But both BNP and Jamaat leaders refuted JP's demand. Local BNP leaders said that at least seven BNP men 'must get alliance nomination' in greater Rangpur.

The seven are Deputy Minister for Food and Natural Disaster Asadul Habib Dulu (from Lalmonirhat), former minister Moidul Islam (Ulipur, Kurigram), Rangpur district BNP secretary and former central president of JCD Habibunnobi Sohel (Rangpur-4), Rangpur BNP president Rahimuddin Bharosha (Rangpur-3), prime minister's nephew Shahrin Islam Tuhin (Nilphamari-1), lawmaker Amzad Hossen Sarkar (Nilphamari-2) and lawmaker Lincon (Gaibandha-5).

Jamaat-e-Islami sources said claimed that the party is firm to get alliance nomination in at least eight constituencies. The probable candidates are Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury MP (Nilphamari-3), Moniruzzaman Montu (Nilphamari-2), former Dhaka city Jamaat Ameer Azharul Islam (Rangpur-2), Ruhul Islam (Rangpur-1), Abu Bakar Wahed (Rangpur-5), Nazrul Islam (Gaibandha-3), Abdul Latif (Kurigram-4) and Abu Hena (Lalmonirhat-1).

Nilphamari district BNP secretary Anisul Arefin Chowdhury said it would be suicidal if at least eight party candidates are not nominated from greater Rangpur as BNP is gradually gaining here.

Nilphamari Poura Jamaat Ameer Moniruzzaman Montu said, "We are serious to get nomination in 8-10 seats. We do not need JP in alliance as the four-party alliance got 217 seats in the country in the alst election.

Tension and intra-party conflict are mounting among BNP, Jamaat and JP in a number of seats over getting alliance nomination.

JP sources said that the party would nominate Ershad's sister Marina Rahman and his brother-in-law Dr. Asadur Rahman from Nilphamari-3 and Nilphamari-4 constituencies where Jamaat MP Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury and BNP MP Amzad Hossen Sarkar have already started campaigning. They are preparing to resist JP at any cost, party sources said.

In Kurigram, supporters of former JP leader and minister now a BNP candidate Moidul Islam have declared possible JP candidate Tajul Islam Chowdhury unwanted. Tajul Islam was also a minister during JP rule.

In Rangpur-4 (Sadar) constituency, BNP leaders in a recent statement said they want Habibunnobi Sohel as a candidate and asked JP chief HM Ershad not to contest from the seat.

In Nilphamari-1, local BNP leaders and workers vowed to resist JP central joint secretary NK Alam and expressed their support to prime minister's nephew Shahrin Islam Tuhin.