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Six JP ministers, one adviser 'to quit today'

Ershad rules out rumours of his resignation as party chief

Staff Correspondent
The six Jatiya Party ministers of the polls-time government and an adviser to the prime minister will submit their resignation letters to the premier today, party sources have claimed.
They claimed that the seven did not do it yesterday as they could not get an appointment with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
"We will submit resignation letters tomorrow [today) whenever we get an appointment," cabinet member and JP Secretary General Ruhul Amin I lowladertold reporters at party chief HM Ershad's Baridhara home.
His announcement followed rumours from in and outside the party that two of the JP ministers were unwilling to resign from the polls-time cabinet.
At his Baridhara home, 83-year-old Ershad said it did not matter if one or two ministers refused to resign. " ... I will never participate in any polls if all political parties do not take part," Ershad said.
Talking to The Daily Star, a JP presidium member who is a minister and close to Ershad, said, "If the prime minister does not give us time
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[today], we will leave our resignation letters with the official concerned at the Prime Minister's Office."
Four days have elapsed since party Chairman HM Ershad dramatically announced that his party would not take part in the January 5 polls since a "proper atmosphere" for the election was missing. He also said he would not take part in the polls unless all political parties participated in them.
He then asked his party's leaders to quit the polls-time cabinet and from the post of adviser to the prime minister.
On November 18, Ershad left the Awami League-led grand alliance and urged the BNP to join the election "to save the country and maintain the democratic process".
T AMTHECHIEF'
A rumour that Ershad was quitting the JP, through making Raushan Ershad its acting chief, spread like wildfire yesterday.
It gathered momentum when expelled JP leader Kazi Zafar Ahmed at his Gulshan home claimed that Ershad had appointed his wife Raushan as the party's acting chairman and the former dictator might retire or go for treatment abroad.
However, Ershad brushed it aside and said, 'This is nothing but propaganda. I am the party chief and will remain so as long as I am alive."
Mentioning that there was no scope for making anyone else acting Jatiya Party chairman while he is alive, Ershad said, "Raushan didn't take over from me and she hasn't been made acting party chairman."
He urged the media not to spread "propaganda".