A breakaway faction of the ruling BGMEA group joined hands with rivals to challenge the incumbent president Mostafa Golam Quddus. a late night press release said yesterday.

They agreed to contest the February 25 elections under the leadership of Forum president Anisur Rahman Sinha, according to the statement signed by Sinha and Engineer Nurul Huq Sikder of Sammilito Parishad.

Sikder's departure from Quddus-led faction follows a breach of contract by the latter, sources in the grouping said. Quddus had reportedly Epromised that Sikder would run or BGMEA president as the Sammilito Parishad candidate. The two failed to agree on the issue, sources said.