Krishak Sramik Janata League President Abdul Kader Siddique has threatened to quit the Jatiya Oikya Front alliance citing differences over the decision to join parliament.

He issued the threat days after the Bangladesh Jatiya Party BJP left the 20-Party Alliance, another coalition of the BNP, following the swearing-in of seven MPs elected under the Dr Kamal Hossain-led Oikya Front.

"If the differences within the alliance are not properly addressed by next one month, the Krishak Sramik Janata League will withdraw from the Jatiya Oikya Front on June 8," he said after a meeting of the party in Dhaka.

BJP Chairman Andaleeve Rahman Partho had announced they were deserting the BNP-led 20-Party Alliance on Monday citing the same reason.

The BNP, the Nagorik Oikya, the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rab) and Jatiya Oikya Prokriya together had launched the anti-government alliance Oikya Front led by Gono Forum President Dr Kamal in October last year ahead of the parliamentary polls. Kader Siddique joined the alliance later.

The BNP won six seats while the Gono Forum bagged two in the polls. All of the eight MPs-elect but BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam have taken oath of office even though the alliance had announced it would not join an “illegitimate” parliament formed through “rigged vote”.

Kader questioned the “weaknesses” in coordinating the coalition and said, "The Jatiya Oikya Front was not properly managed after the Dec 30 election. Seven members of the Front were sworn in without anyone else being consulted though we rejected the results of the election.”

He pointed out that the two Gono Forum MPs took oath defying the party but one of them, Sultan Mohammed Mansur Ahmed, was expelled while the other, Mokobbir Khan, retained his post in the party’s presidium.

The BNP also expelled Zahidur Rahman for the same reason but days later allowed four other MPs-elect to take oath while Mirza Fakhrul has been kept out of parliament, Kader Siddique said.   

“These have created confusion among the people. We can’t respond when they ask us about these matters,” he added.

Deshsangbad/fh/mmh