Ershad sees JP's image crisis as opposition party

Jatiya Party (JP) Chairman HM Ershad yesterday said the party's "image crisis" barred people and the media from thinking of it as the opposition party while it was one of the two reasons for which it could not do well in the December 30 municipality polls.

"We do not have organisational activities in all areas of the country," he said referring to the second reason for only one of the 73 JP-backed mayoral candidates winning the election.

Addressing JP's 31st founding anniversary in the capital's Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, he, however, claimed the election was not held in a free and fair manner as JP-nominated candidates were intimidated in many municipalities for which they could not conduct campaigns.

"The media still mentions BNP as the opposition party...Our party will be able to play the true role of an opposition party if our three ministers quit the cabinet and if I quit the post of prime minister's special envoy," he said amid rapturous applause from the audience.

The former military dictator claimed that people wanted to vote for JP and want it to come to power.