Don’t want to say what was done to join the polls: GM Quader

Jatiya Party (JaPa) chairman GM Quader has denounced allegations of taking monetary benefits from the ruling party to take part in the polls, as raised by a section of the party leaders and activists after the vote fiasco.

He said, “To those who are saying that we took money, where is the proof? You just cannot say that we took the money.”

The JaPa chairman further said he spoke to the senior leaders of the party about taking part in the polls. He doesn’t want to disclose anything more about what was done to go to the polls.

He said this in response to the allegations brought up by a section of the party while speaking to Prothom Alo on Sunday. A section of the party’s agitated members held a meeting led by the defeated JaPa candidates in the capital’s Diploma Engineers Institution on Sunday. They expressed dissent over the activities of the top leadership of the party and accused them of non-cooperation at the meeting. At least 10 defeated JaPa candidates addressed the meeting.

They raised questions regarding the party’s negotiations with Awami League over seat-sharing. They also questioned the ‘ethics’ of the party leaders for joining the 12th parliamentary elections despite objections from the grassroots. The agitated leaders accused the party central leaders of illegal money transactions ahead of the election.

Speaking to Prothom Alo on Sunday, GM Quader refuted the allegations brought up by the agitated party leaders and activists saying, “We didn’t call anybody to participate in the polls. It was made clear before the polls that the party won’t provide any financial assistance to the candidates. Those, who were interested, contested the polls. All this is part of a conspiracy against the party.”

Speaking regarding joining the polls despite objections from the grassroots, he said, “It was the grassroots who bestowed me with the charge to take the final decision in this regard. I spoke to the senior leaders of the party before deciding on the issue. I don’t want to say anything about what was done apart from these to join the polls.”

Earlier on Sunday, at least 10 defeated JaPa candidates addressed the meeting organised by the agitated section of the party. They accused JaPa chairman GM Quader and secretary general Mujibul Haque of non-cooperation and raised questions over their ethics.

They said that the JaPa has betrayed the country by joining the polls. GM Quader could have been the ‘hero’ of the nation hadn’t he decide to contest the elections.

Before that on 14 November, the central executive committee of the JaPa held an emergency meeting in the capital’s Diploma Engineers Institution to take opinion from the grassroots. Some 59 JaPa leaders from 62 districts joined the meeting and voted for not joining polls through negotiations with the Awami League again.

GM Quader said at the meeting that, “I got the sentiment of the leaders and their opinions. We will come to a decision based on the demand of the people of the country.”

Referring to the statement of GM Quader at that meeting, defeated JaPa candidate from the Noakhali-3 constituency Fazle Elahi said, “You (GM Quader) said you won’t betray the party and would take the decision based on the demand from the grassroots. But you haven’t kept your word. We have betrayed the nation.”

JaPa co-chairman Syed Abu Hossain presided over the meeting. Among the other defeated JaPa candidates who addressed the meeting are – Liakat Hossain of Narayanganj-3 candidate, Yahya Chowdhury of Sylhet-2, Shafiqul Islam of Dhaka-13 and Nurul Quader from the Kishoreganj-6 constituency. JaPa leaders at different levels of the party also addressed the meeting.

Of them, JaPa presidium member Shafiqul Islam harshly criticised the party chairman saying, “You negotiated over 26 seats. You got both money and the seat. And when you realised that the seat of your wife was not confirmed yet, you said it was not yet certain whether the JaPa would contest the polls or not. Later, you said the opposite after getting confirmation about your wife’s constituency.”

He also accused GM Quader of sacrificing the party leaders for his wife. He warned the JaPa chairman, “It will be hard for you to survive if the expelled and exploited leaders get united.”

Former MP Yahya Chowdhury said, “You taught us democracy, but you don’t practise it. You sacrificed some 9-10 seats of several party leaders, including Babla (Abu Hossain), Khoka (Liakat Hossain), Pir Fazlur Rahman and Atikur Rahman, to ensure your wife’s victory. The chairman was busy ensuring the compromised seats for his families.”

Another JaPa candidate Nurul Quader said, “We spent our time in the election. They didn’t even care or helped us with money. How much to sell yourself? Stop selling yourself during every poll.”

Several other speakers at the programme brought several allegations against the JaPa president, including not providing any monetary assistance and not receiving phone calls of the candidates.

Following the meeting, JaPa presidium member Shafiqul Islam and vice-chairman Yahya Chowdhury were relieved from all the posts they held. Besides, the party said in a statement on Sunday that chairman GM Quader has dissolved the Dhaka north city unit of the JaPa at the recommendation of the party secretary general.

The JaPa fielded a total of 265 candidates in the 12th parliamentary elections. It negotiated with the ruling party over 26 electoral seats. However, the JaPa candidates won in only 11 constituencies. Besides, some 90 per cent of the candidates from the party lost their security money. After such a wipe out in the polls, chaos erupted within the JaPa. Amid that, two of the party leaders were expelled from the party yesterday, Sunday.

Earlier on Friday, the JaPa expelled influential leader and co-chairman Kazi Firoz Rashid and presidium member Sunil Shubho Roy.