Losers, local leaders lobby for tickets
Several central and local leaders of BNP are aspiring for party nomination for contesting parliamentary by-election to two Bogra seats vacated by party Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
A section of BNP leaders have started lobbying for party ticket for senior central leaders while district level leaders expect the party leadership will nominate candidates from among them considering local people's sentiment, party insiders said
Khaleda Zia, who won three seats in the December 29 parliamentary election, retained Feni-1 seat and vacated Bogra-6 and Bogra-7 seats before taking oath as lawmaker on January 15.
A group of party leaders are trying to persuade the party high command to pick the by-polls contestants from among senior central leaders who got defeated in last month's election but are known as good parliamentarians.
“We need more of our senior leaders in parliament as we now have only a small number of them in the House. So, it would be better if senior leaders could come to parliament through by-election,” a BNP lawmaker told The Daily Star on Thursday.
Senior leaders like Khandaker Delwar Hossain, Jamiruddin Sircar, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and Moudud Ahmed have already figured in discussions within the party prior to the chairperson's consideration for nomination.
Besides, local leaders who are also coming into such intra-party discussions include Rezaul Karim Badsha, president of Bogra district BNP, and Saiful Islam, general secretary of the district unit.
Contacted, Moudud Ahmed said he is not interested in contesting by-election. “I am not interested at all. But I can consider only if the party or chairperson wants me.”
Asked about his possibility of contesting the by-election, Khandaker Mosharraf said he does not know anything about this.
BNP sources said if the party decides to nominate central leaders, Khandaker Delwar and Jamiruddin Sircar might be picked.
Otherwise, two local leaders would get party ticket.
Some other sources in the party however said Khandaker Mosharraf and Jamiruddin are likely to be nominated to contest the by-election.
But several party leaders said Mosharraf might not get nomination due to the recent media disclosure that the former minister, his wife and a son have huge wealth in the British Isles, found investigators in the United Kingdom.
Mosharraf and his wife Bilquis Aktar Hossain have one million pounds in a joint account with Lloyds TSB Bank in Guernsey, a Crown dependency in the English Channel, said a source here citing findings of a probe by the Proceeds of Corruption Unit of London's Metropolitan Police.
Bogra BNP President Rezaul Karim Badsha, when contacted over telephone Thursday night, said, “As a political activist, I have some expectation from the party, and I hope the party will consider the matter.”
He however added, “If the party thinks that we need more senior leaders in parliament, then we have to accept the party decision regarding nomination.”
Local sources said some district unit leaders including Rezaul and Saiful (general secretary) are lobbying with party high-ups for party ticket.
Against this backdrop, Khaleda Zia leaves for Bogra today.
Comments