Dr Kamal now says election with Jamaat was a mistake

Sayeed Muhammad of DOT  :
Jatiya Oikya Front Convener Dr Kamal Hossain has stated that they made a mistake by contesting the December 30 national election with Jamaat-e-Islami being part of the alliance.
“In my view, taking part in the December 30 national election keeping Jamaat in the alliance can be called a mistake,” the noted jurist said, reports The Daily Star.
Dr Kamal Hossain, also the Gano Forum chief, was addressing a press conference at the party’s central office in Dhaka this afternoon.
Claiming of having little knowledge about the participation of 25 Jamaat candidates in the 11th parliamentary election, Kamal said, “I publicly said that there were no Jamaat men in the Oikyafront and no one told me anything in this regard.”
“I made my stance clear when I heard
(about Jamaat’s participial in polls). In my view, it can be called a mistake. I think, you (media men) got our clear statement over Jamaat issue,” he further said, adding pressure can be mounted on BNP to severe its ties with Jamaat.
Replying to a query over what he would do if BNP does not sever its tie with Jamaat, Kamal said, “I did never think to do politics along with Jamaat and will not do so in future.”
Earlier, Kamal sat with meeting of his party central committee committee members at the office to discuss the country’s prevailing political situation.
The Jatiya Oikyafront and BNP-led 20party alliance secured a total eight seats in the December 30 national election out of 299 seats, with two Gano Forum candidates coming successful.
As a political partner of the BNP-led 20-party alliance, 25 leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami took part in the election with BNP’s electoral symbol “Sheaf of Paddy”, but did not be able to secure a single seat in the election.