BNP policymakers are not interested in making any deal with its ally Jamaat-e-Islami for backing pro-Jamaat candidates in the municipality polls scheduled for January 12.
Following strong opposition from many leaders in the main opposition party, both parties failed to reach a consensus on this, sources said.
Party insiders, however, said the BNP top leadership is not interested in Jamaat, which wants BNP's backing for pro-Jamaat mayoral candidates in at least 40 municipalities, considering the current political situation.
BNP central directed leaders of only two municipalities--Gagni of Meherpur and Sundarganj of Gaibandha--to support the pro-Jamaat mayoral candidates there.
Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) gave unconditional support to BNP-backed mayoral candidates across the country while Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ), another ally of BNP, will get support from its allies in Sunamganj municipality. BNP and Jamaat do not have anyone to support there.
When asked about which candidates BNP grassroots are to support, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the party's local units would decide on this as it is a local government election.
Jamaat acting Secretary General ATM Azharul Islam, who recently met the BNP chairperson along with Jamaat acting chief Moqbul Ahmed, said they did not seek BNP support for the pro-Jamaat candidates in the municipality elections.
“We did not discuss this issue as there is nothing to seek support for. It's a local government election and we will make decisions on our own,” he told The Daily Star.
However, BNP insiders said Jamaat did try to get BNP support for 40 pro-Jamaat candidates and BNP chief Khaleda Zia had also asked for a list of those candidates, who Jamaat claimed were very likely to secure victory.
Jamaat even sent a list of 24 candidates but the BNP decided not to back them, they said.
Talking to The Daily Star, a BNP leader said pro-Jamaat candidates have prospect in winning in 10 municipalities at best but due to the current political situation [hinting at the trial of war criminals], BNP backed off from lending them support.
