In a diplomatic stance, the alliance neither accepted nor rejected President Iajuddin Ahmed's taking office of the chief adviser to the non-party interim government, which it termed a violation of the constitution.

After an emergency meeting with the 14-party leaders at her Sudha Sadan residence in the capital, Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina said at a crowded press briefing, "He [the president] did not do the right thing as he did not follow the constitutional process."

She said there is certainly a question about the neutrality of the president. "But as he has taken the charge, it is now his responsibility to perform neutrally and implement the reform proposals to create a congenial atmosphere for holding a free and fair election," Hasina said.

Asked whether they are rejecting or accepting the president as the chief adviser, Hasina said, "It is not a question of accepting or rejecting him. If he had followed the constitution, we would have welcomed him. As he has not done so, we cannot welcome him.

"Whether we will accept him now depends on what measures he takes in the future," Hasina said, adding, "We will watch his activities."

Meanwhile, the alliance's blockade programmes and movements announced earlier to press home its reform demands will continue, Hasina said, adding that they will announce further programmes after observing the situation.

She said she could not attend the oath-taking ceremony because she received the invitation letter only five minutes before the function. She expressed surprise at not having the invitation in time. "I do not know why I got the invitation only five minutes before the swearing-in ceremony," she said.

Hasina described the departure of the 14-party alliance government and Justice KM Hasan's refusal to take charge of the caretaker government as "people's victory". "The nation is now relieved of misrule," she said.

The AL president heavily came down on the president for taking the charge himself before following 58(3) and (4) sub-articles of the constitution for appointing a non-partisan person as the chief adviser to the caretaker government.

Hasina said all political parties requested the president yesterday to follow these articles of the constitution.

She said the constitution would have been upheld if the president had appointed a non-partisan person as per the constitution instead of installing himself as the chief adviser.

Hasina demanded immediate removal of Chief Election Commissioner MA Aziz and three other election commissioners, cancellation of "political" appointment of 300 upazila election officers, using transparent ballot box for the polls, preparing the voter lists with voters' photographs, and overall congenial atmosphere for a free and fair election.

The president must carry out these demands in order to protect people's democratic rights to voting, she said, urging the president not to work in favour of BNP-Jamaat to bring them in power.

Hasina urged the president to arrest the looters of public money and BNP-Jamaat cadres responsible for torturing people, and take measurers so that both civil and law enforcement agencies play neutral role.

Asking people to resist the BNP-Jamaat "looters and torturers" countrywide, Hasina urged all state officials and employees including the armed forces and police to stand beside people and take measurers so that no offenders can flee the country.

Earlier, terming President Iajuddin Ahmed "partisan", the 14-party alliance said the "politically appointed" president cannot be the chief adviser to a non-partisan caretaker government as per the constitution.

"You [the president] are nominated and appointed by a political party. A partisan president can never be the chief adviser to a non-partisan caretaker government and it disqualifies you," 14-party Coordinator Abdul Jalil told at a press conference at AL's Dhanmondi office following a meeting with the president in the afternoon.

During the meeting with the president, the AL leaders gave the president a letter in which they termed his attempt to hold discussions with major political parties an "unconstitutional move" as per the constitution's 58 Ga (5) sub-article.

In the letter, they also termed the president's proposal to become the chief adviser to the caretaker government "unconstitutional". President Iajuddin Ahmed on Saturday called upon AL general secretary and BNP secretary general and told them he himself wanted to be the chief adviser.

Before meeting the president, the AL held an emergency presidium meeting with party chief Sheikh Hasina in the chair and finalised AL's four representatives--Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed and Abdul Jalil--to meet the president.

They urged the president to consult with constitution experts and find a solution over the ongoing political crisis.

Referring to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's Saturday remarks about AL and its allies, Jalil said she told a public rally that everybody would have to accept the president's decision over the appointment of the chief adviser.

"Following her speech, you [the president] gave us a proposal. We believe there is a link between your proposal and Khaleda Zia's speech," Jalil said.