Defeated candidates of Jatiya Party (JAPA) expressed their anger by blaming party chairman GM Quader and secretary general Mujibul Chunnu for the landslide defeat in the 12th parliamentary elections.
They claimed that GM Quader was unscrupulous by participating in the election against the opinion of Trinamool leaders. He got money from the government by selling the heads of plough candidates. Now Plough candidates want the account of that money.
They alleged that the election was rigged. The JP chairman sacrificed senior party leaders to bag a seat for his wife Sherifa Quader.
Candidates made these complaints in a meeting at Diploma Engineers Institute in the capital on Sunday (January 14). The meeting was held by angry leaders defying the ban of the party. 122 out of 265 candidates for with plough symbol participated in the meeting. In the meeting chaired by Co-chairman Syed Abu Hussain Babla, the candidates did not talk about breaking up the party or changing the leadership even though they raised anger.
Last Wednesday, the candidates surrounded the Banani office of the party and demanded the resignation of GM Quader and Mujibul Haque Chunnu. Infuriated by this, the JP chairman dismissed party co-chairman Kazi Feroze Rashid and presidium member Sunil Shubha Roy.
The Awami League has given 26 seats to JP in the January 7 election. Only 11 concessional seats were won by the candidates of Plough. In the remaining 15, JP lost against independent candidates.
In six of them, the security has been confiscated. In 239 seats out of compromise, Plough could not save any security except for three.
Two days before the announcement of the schedule, a joint meeting of the central committee and the district president-general secretaries was held at Diploma Engineers Institute on November 13.
All but two of the 59 leaders voted to boycott the election. GM Quader said that day; don't be unscrupulous by contesting elections against the opinion of party leaders.
Fazle Elahi Sohag, the candidate of Noakhali-3 constituency, said, "On that day, fearing Allah, the GM told Quader, 'I will not be unfaithful.' You didn't speak. We have been dishonest with the nation. Mujibul Haque Chunnu repeatedly talked about the strategy. What a strategy! Strategy to destroy the JP? GM Quader was one before he became chairman of JP, now he is another. Presidium members walked behind GM Quader with files like clerks.
Zahirul Islam, the candidate of Sirajganj-1 constituency, said, "I was attacked by Awami League on the first day of the election campaign. Repeated phone calls to the chairman and secretary general did not pick up. If not financial support, they could at least give courage. He was threatened with expulsion for coming to today's meeting. I came to talk about suffering. Expelled, he did.
Moktar Hossain, the candidate of Sirajganj-6 constituency, said, "The party said, 'Make an election.' you spend something the party will give the rest.
After selling the shop, I did the promotion for the first few days. After that, the chairman and general secretary did not pick up the phone when they asked the party for money. Because, fear in their minds, how will they respond to the money they have embezzled for the election.
Yaahia Chowdhury, former MP of Sylhet-2 seat, said, "Despite talking about democracy in mouth of GM Qader, there is no democracy in his work. For his wife, Feroze Rashid, Abu Hossain Babla, Liakat Hossain Khoka, Pir Fazlur Rahman, Atiqul Islam Atiq gave 9 seats. GM Quader ran after Awami League for his wife. What is Sherifa Quader's contribution to the party? The money received for party candidates was shared by GM Quader, Mujibul Haque Chunnura. It has to be answered.
Nurul Quader Sohel, the candidate of Kishoreganj-6 seat, said, 'GM Quader has fielded the candidates of Plough to make the election look competitive in the words of Awami League. After that he did not take any news. 10 did not help. He said to the chairman of the party, "How many more heads will you sell to the party leaders?"
Presidium member Shafiqul Islam Sentu withdrew his candidacy for Dhaka-13 seat. He said, 'Boats and independent candidates of Awami League are rich. Jatiya Party not only got concession in 26 seats but also got money. Before December 17, when GM Quader saw that Awami League was not leaving the Dhaka-18 seat for his wife, he said that he was not sure whether to go to the election or not. I will not take the begging seat. As soon as Awami League vacated the seat for Sherifa Quader, GM Quader went to the polls and also took the seat. GM Quader politically slaughtered senior party leaders for his wife. He saw the dove and not the snare. If you want to see, I will show you, if everyone is one, it will be difficult for him to survive.
Saifuddin Ahmed Milon of Dhaka-7 seat is one of the few candidates who were campaigning outside understanding seat.
He said, 'If the elections were boycotted, GM would have become a hero in front of the nation. He has the power to expel Kazi Feroze. But GM Quader does not have the power to give birth to a Qazi Feroze.