BNP tries to pull JP as ally
The main opposition BNP has taken an initiative to improve relations with HM Ershad's Jatiya Party aiming to weaken the ruling Awami League-led grand alliance ahead of the next general election.
As part of the initiative, some BNP lawmakers have recently contacted a few JP lawmakers, including JP senior leaders, and several meetings have taken place between them in the last few weeks, BNP insiders said.
A top BNP leader is coordinating the entire affair, but no-one from the party agreed to make any formal comment on the issue.
Party insiders said some senior BNP leaders talked to two senior JP leaders during this Ramadan and high commands of both the parties were informed of the discussion.
Following the informal talks, the main opposition tasked some of its lawmakers to maintain communication with JP lawmakers and urge them to mount pressure on party chief Ershad to leave the grand alliance, they added.
The communication between the two parties will continue, as many JP leaders are no longer interested in the AL, a BNP leader told The Daily Star.
JP Presidium Member Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu, also a former minister, said any individual leader of his party could talk to any party including BNP but the party chairman or the party had no involvement in this process. "The issue was not even discussed inside the party," he told The Daily Star.
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