A meeting of Majlish-e-Shura, highest policy-making body of the party, bitterly criticised the government initiative and observed that the JP's joining the coalition could have adverse effect on the election results, a source among the party high-ups said.

Speaking at the meeting held at Jamaat central office, a senior leader said, "As all of you know...condition of most of the BNP ministers at their constituencies is miserable. Now if JP joins us then it will make problem for our candidates too in Sylhet, Mymensingh and northern part of the country."

"If we should sacrifice the Chouddagram (Comilla-12) seat for JP leader Kazi Zafar Ahmed then it will surely bring disaster for the coalition. Because he is never going to win the election," the source quoted the leader as saying.

A number of leaders like Kazi Zafar are there (in JP), who could cause an election debacle for the ruling coalition, he added.

Shura members at yesterday's meeting discussed mainly the closed-door talks between Ershad and Tarique Rahman. They grumbled that the BNP high command did not have any discussion with Jamaat about the move to have JP on board.

Blasting BNP's policy on Ershad, they said no one trusts Ershad. Besides, Jamaat is stronger than JP in Sylhet and Mymensingh region and even in greater Rangpur including Gaibandha and Dinajpur. So, if JP joins the coalition it could spell disaster for four-party alliance in the next election, they noted.

Ruhul Amin Hawlader, general secretary of JP, told The Daily Star yesterday,"It is simply not possible for a party to win election without JP and we believe that our party is more popular than Jamaat, though they do have a strong organisation."

"Our joining the ruling coalition is now only a matter of time," he said.

"The prime minister will take the final decision. I think Jamaat has nothing to fear," Kazi Firoj Rashid, senior leader and political secretary of Ershad, told The Daily Star.