Former Chief Justice Badrul Haider Chowdhury, defeated tn Wednesday’s presidential election said that he look the Initiative to contest the election as a national consensus candidate but that his initiative was marred as the political parties failed to come out of narrow party politics.

Justice Chowdhury in his post election press conference at his residence yesterday afternoon said that his candi

dature was not only supported by the Awami League but that many other forces promoted his nomination as well.

Justice Chowdhury, about 65 years old. appeared jolly in the press conference and as in hts maiden press conference prior to the election he welcomed journalists with twigs of rajanigandha yesterday too

Justice Chowdhury replied

to a volley of questions by journalists and congratulated the electorate in the presidential election, who participated in it and cast their votes without fear or favour.

Justice Chowdhury reiterated his Independent character and said that he was never an Awami Leaguer and that he would not do Awami League politics in future too.

He said that at the nascent' stage of democracy he Wanted to work to establish it on a firm fooling.

He however, cautioned the nation and the ruling party that the country would plunge into a deep economic crisis within the next two years if the government failed to reach a national consensus on different issues.

He said that his candidature was ‘aimed at meeting that end but indicated th'al due to a midnight conspiracy he could not be elected.

He said that the President Election Act 1991 would not only be challenged in the Court but that history would prove the law was an ill motivated one as well.

He said that prior to the election he got positive responses from the Jatiya Party, the Jamaal, the CPB and the other opposition Members of Parliament.

Justice Chowdhuiy said that some of the BNP MPs also contacted him and assured him their support in the election. He referred to his meeting with BNP MP Farida Rahman at her residence where the Home Minister Abdul Matin Chowdhury was also present.

Justice Chowdhury said that prior to the election two top- • level leaders of the Jatlya" Party, four Ministers of the BNP. CPB leader Shamshuddoha and Jamaat leader Sheikh Ansar All had assured him of favouring his candidature.

When asked whether he congratulated Abdur Rahman Biswas or would like to congratulate him he said that the Election of President Act 1991 woul^i be challenged in the High Court.

Quoting a verse from the Holy Quran he said Uiat it was a Quranic leaching that all should lake decisions by consultation with each other.

Replying io a question Justice Chowdhury said that he used to be invited to slate functions particularly to presidential functions as former Chief Justice, but yesterday he was not invited to the presidential oath-taking ceremony.