Andaleeve Rahman Partho, chairman of Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), one of the components of BNP-led 20-party alliance, today announced to stay aside from the coalition.

Partho made the announcement in a written statement this evening. In the statement, he stated that the oath of BNP lawmakers as the members of the 11th parliament as one of the major reasons behind the decision.

BNP-led four-party alliance was formed in 1999 to strengthen the movement against the then Awami League-led government. In 2001 election, the BNP-led alliance won a landslide victory, but got a debacle in 2008 election.

Later in 2012, the four-party alliance was expanded to 20-party alliance.

Partho contested the December 30 national election with BNP’s electoral symbol “Sheaf of Paddy” from Bhola-1 parliamentary constituency and failed to secure victory in the electoral race.

In his statement, the BJP chief claimed that the organisational activists of the 20-party alliance have weakened alarmingly.

Clarifying the causes of behind his standing aside from the alliance, Partho said, “After the farcical and stage-managed December 30 national election, the 20-party alliance on principal rejected the polls results. Later, two from Jatiya Oikyafront and five from BNP MPs-elect took oath as members of the 11th parliament.”

“No political components of the 20-party alliance except BNP was involved with the decision of taking oath. And like the countrymen, Bangladesh Jatiya Party has got astonished and shocked for this,” Partho said.

BNP and Jatiya Oikyafront have lost their moral rights to reject the results of the December 30 national election through taking part in the 11th parliament, he said.

“In the context of the prevailing politics of the 20-party alliance, JBP is coming out of all political and organisational activities of the coalition,” Partho said.