New alliance of Dr Kamal, B Chy hits snag
The new electoral alliance initiated by AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury and Dr Kamal Hossain stumbled at the very start as the leaders could not agree on a name for the combine.
Disagreement among the parties over the proposed name 'Juktafront' may lead the Kader Siddiqui-led Krishak Sramik Janata League (KSJL) to quit the alliance in the event, sources said.
That possibility made the leaders to postpone yesterday's launching programme at Imperial Hotel in the capital, said the sources.
Bikalpadhara Bangladesh (BDB) President Badruddoza Chowdhury and Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain formed the combine on November 9, breaking away from the Awami League-led grand alliance.
Two other parties in the rainbow coalition are the Bangladesh Kalyan Party led by Maj Gen (retd) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim and Sekendar Ali Moni's Bangladesh Labour Party.
The Gono Forum proposed the name Juktafront after the fashion of its 1954 namesake.
The KSJL says they have no problem in the name. "But the history of forming another Juktafront in 2005 will have to be mentioned in the preamble of the new alliance," Kader Siddiqui told a press conference on November 10.
Dr Kamal, Kader Siddiqui and ASM Abdur Rob had patched together the alliance in 2005 in a bid to make a third political force. It however did not survive following disputes between the three leaders.
BDB wants a new name other than Juktafront, sources said.
"The young generation doesn't like the name 'Juktafront.' We don't want to go back to Juktafront of 1954 or Juktafront formed three years back. We want a new name for the alliance," BDB spokesman Mahi B Chowdhury said.
He said their alliance might be launched on November 17 or 18.
Acting Gono Forum general secretary advocate Subrata Chowdhury admitted that they have not yet reached a consensus.
"Alliance leaders will decide on the name after Dr Kamal returns home from London on November 16," he told The Daily Star.
On the possibility that the KSJL might not stick to the alliance at last, BDB and Gono Forum leaders said they are trying to talk Jatiya Party (Manju), Jaker Party and Tarikat Federation into their fold.
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