"They want to see the party chairperson disqualified in line with the so-called minus two formula," he told reporters at his Mohakhali DOHS residence.

Rejecting the allegation, Ashraf Hossain, joint secretary general of the party, said they are doing everything according to the party constitution.

"We have announced some draft proposals before the nation to improve the overall political situation," he said after meeting party Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan at his Gulshan residence.

Meanwhile, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has urged the government to take all steps to mitigate sufferings of the flood affected people in different areas of the country.

She has expressed her grief that in the present situation she cannot get any chance to help the flood-hit, Hannan Shah said.

On the BNP council, Hannan said it is hoped that good sense would prevail on those who want to hold the council keeping Khaleda away. Otherwise, they will lose support in the party. Any misgivings among party men would be removed through discussion and the council would take place under Khaleda Zia's leadership, he hoped.

Hannan went on, "Party leaders and workers will not remain with them (reformists) if they continue their bid to go beyond the party constitution." In the past, many leaders such as Shamsul Huda, Dr MA Matin, Shah Aziz, KM Obaidur Rahman and Moudud Ahmed had left the BNP but it came to power as the people loved the party, he mentioned.

Asharaf Hossain said, "He (Hannan) did not speak the truth about the reform proposals and the party council sine he was not active in politics for long."

Replying to a question, Hannan Shah said, "I am talking to district and upazila level leaders of our party, and Khaleda Zia herself is contacting the councillors so that the party men are not in confusion about the council".

He asked pro-reform leaders to talk to Khaleda sincerely... They can even use him as a mediator for such talks if they are really interested, he added.

On Hannan's mediation offer, Ashraf Hossain questioned, "Whether he is the proper person for it."

Hannan criticised some other advisers to the BNP chairperson, saying they did not do politics at field level nor contested any elections. So, how can they be aware of the party affairs?

"They were chairmen of different organisations or ambassadors in the last five years. So, they had no time to think about the party (BNP)," he said in an oblique reference to former ambassador Mofazzal Karim, former Red Crescent chairman ZA Khan and former Privatisation Board chairman Enam Ahmed Chowdhury.