After a green-signal from President and Chief Adviser Iajuddin Ahmed for talks with the rival political alliances, advisers Mahbubul Alam, Shoeb Ahmed and Shafiqual Haque Chowdhury yesterday met BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan.

The three advisers are waiting to meet Awami League (AL) General Secretary and 14-party coordinator Abdul Jalil, sources said.

Before the meeting with the BNP secretary general, Agriculture Adviser Shafiqual Haque Chowdhury yesterday told reporters in his office that they would ask the president to seek advice from the Supreme Court if both the political camps agree on holding the elections beyond the constitutional 90-day time limit.

He said the chief adviser had asked the advisers to approach the two camps to broach a possible agreement to break the current political impasse.

After the meeting with Mannan Bhuiyan at his residence, both the sides remained tight- lipped about the meeting agenda and termed it a 'courtesy call'.

Sources in the BNP said the BNP-led 4-party alliance stuck to their decision to participate in the January 22 polls, saying that there is no reason to shift it violating the constitution. After the meeting with advisers, Mannan Bhuiyan told a press conference that they are fully concentrating on contesting the January 22 election.

If there is any demand from any quarter, the next government, which will be formed through the January 22 election, will consider it, the BNP leader said.

On Saturday night, Chief Adviser Iajuddin Ahmed issued a statement, which reaffirmed that the parliamentary elections would be held on schedule due to constitutional obligation. "At this stage of the election process, according to the constitution, there is no scope for sending reference to the court," he said.

Several advisers, who became unhappy with the chief adviser's (CA) adamant decision of holding the election without the participation of a major political alliance, told him that such an election, failing to get any acceptability at home and aboard, will create more chaos, sources said.

Following the advisers' proposal, the CA asked them to discuss with the two major political alliances and report to him whether they agree to hold the election after the 90-day time limit.

He said Iajuddin Ahmed has already assigned three advisers to hold dialogue with the policymakers in the two rival political camps.

"To make it happen, it needs consultation with both the camps.... And we have already started the consultation process," said Shafiqual.

The adviser, however, told reporters yesterday that the president termed the referral to the Supreme Court 'a complex issue'.

Asked about the latest meeting between advisers and BNP Secretary General Mannan Bhuiyan, Adviser Fazlul Haque said three advisers were given the charge for discussion with the parties and the interim government is trying its best to hold a fair election.

The advisers took the move yesterday after four days of the AL-led grand alliance's election boycott announcement.

The alliance also began a three-day blockade across the country yesterday.

Since the grand alliance's withdrawal from the polls, the chief adviser did not convene any formal meeting to discuss with his colleagues the prevailing political situation.

Emerging from the parley with Mannan Bhuiyan, Information Adviser Mahbub told reporters that they just went to meet him as the secretary general of a party and did not carry any proposal.

"We discussed the latest political situation to know how they view the situation... Nothing specific has been discussed," he said.

An adviser preferring anonymity told The Daily Star that they are not hopeful about the latest move until it brings any effective result.

"We have taken various initiatives one after another but finally failed to reach an amicable solution only due to the chief adviser's reluctant attitude," the adviser said, adding, "On Saturday night he [Iajuddin] made a strong statement without our knowledge."