Jatiyo Party’s another U-turn
It was business as usual for the Jatiyo Party yesterday, a party widely criticised for saying one thing in the morning and changing it by the evening.
Yesterday morning, a senior leader closely associated with JP Chairman GM Quader said the party's MPs-elect will not take oath today.
Needless to say, the party did not stay true to this statement by evening.
JP insiders said the JP chairman staged this "predictable" drama to bargain with the government to ensure the post of opposition leader of the parliament.
As the unofficial results of the 12th national polls surfaced, a pressing question emerged about the opposition in parliament, with 62 independent candidates securing victory in the January 7 election.
The Election Commission revealed unofficial results for 298 constituencies on Monday, showing the Awami League winning 222 seats, while JP secured only 11 seats.
Notably, most of the independent winners are also AL leaders.
GM Quader, who is now the deputy leader of the opposition, was concerned about becoming the opposition leader in the next parliament, JP insiders said. "That's why he started bargaining with the ruling party high-ups to ensure that he can be the opposition leader," a JP central leader said.
GM Quader changed his decision about taking oath after getting a green signal from AL higher ups that he would be given the opposition leader's role, several JP leaders said.
GM Quader couldn't be contacted despite repeated attempts.
Although the constitution is not clear about the formation of an opposition in the House, the rules of procedure in parliament states, "Leader of the opposition means that member of the parliament who, in the opinion of the Speaker, is the leader in the House of the party, or of the group, as the case may be, in opposition to the government having the greatest numerical strength in the House."
Meanwhile, Law Minister Anisul Huq yesterday said JP will get priority as the opposition in the parliament if the independent candidates who won in the 12th parliamentary election do not join or form any party or groups..
To be the opposition, a group must have to have at least 10 percent of the seats of the parliament, the law minister said.
Asked whether the independent MPs-elect could form a group, Anisul said, "Why not? If they think they will form their own group instead of being with the government, of course they can do that."
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