4-party opposes ex-BNP MP Mehedi in Kushtia-4

Leaders of BNP-led four-party alliance at a meeting in Kumarkhali upazila yesterday demanded nomination of a person other than former BNP lawmaker Syed Mehedi Ahmed Rumi for the upcoming parliamentary election.
This demand came a day after Jamaat-e-Islami, a key ally of BNP, announced the name of Farhad Hossain, senior Ameer of Kushtia district Jamaat, as a candidate in Kushtia-4 (Kumarkhali-Khoksa) constituency, opposing nomination of Mehedi.
Jamaat leaders at a press conference on Monday said they will not work for any person other than the Jamaat leader in the constituency.
Before announcement of non-approval for Mehedi, the four-party alliance meeting held at Kumarkhali upazila unit BNP office formed a new 11-member upazila committee of the alliance. Anwar Hossain Bokul, president of Kumarkhali upazila unit of BNP, was made convener of the committee.
Other members include -- joint conveners Nurul Islam Ansar Pramanik, pouro BNP president and chairman of Kumarkhali municipality, Tarikul Islam Lipon, general secretary of the unit, KM Alam Tome, senior joint secretary of upazila unit BNP, Kumarkhali upazila unit Jamaat Ameer Moulana Delwar Hossain, Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) leader Moulana Nesar Uddin.
Terming Mehedi Rumi as 'detached from people for long', the alliance leaders said Mehedi failed to fulfil his commitments made before the 1996 and 2001 elections and it has tarnished image of BNP led 4-party alliance in the area.
The leaders also accused Rumi for harbouring outlawed party cadres and criminal groups in the district.
Before the 2001 elections, BNP leader Nurul Islam Ansar Pramanik also demanded nomination from Kumarkhali and it led to formation of two factions in upazila BNP -- one led by Ansar Pramanik and the other by party's Kumarkhali unit President Anwar Hossain Bokul, who was then loyal to Mehedi Rumi.
But in yesterday's meeting, Bokul declared withdrawal of his support for Mehedi, marking a big blow to the former lawmaker elected from the constituency in 1996 and 2001.
Party sources said Mehedi is also facing opposition from a number of party leaders and activists of BNP and Jamaat in Khoksa upazila.