With Adviser Nahid Islam almost certain to be the convener of the new political party being floated by the July uprising activists, differences of opinion have emerged among the leaders over the member secretary post, the second-highest role in the party hierarchy.

So far, Jatiya Nagorik Committee Convener Nasiruddin Patwary, Member Secretary Akhter Hossen, Joint Convener Ali Ahsan Zonaed and Chief Organiser Sarjis Alam, and Students Against Discrimination Convener Hasnat Abdullah are leading the race for the new party's member secretary post.

Nahid, information and ICT adviser, may quit the government within four to five days, said sources close to him.

Meanwhile, Jatiya Nagorik Committee, the citizens' platform launched after the uprising, is now split into three groups over the top posts of the new political party's convening committee, said insiders.

One consists of leaders of Students Against Discrimination, who had been previously involved with Gonotantrik Chhatra Shakti and Chhatra Odhikar Parishad.

Those previously affiliated with leftist politics form the second faction and the third comprises former members of Islami Chhatra Shibir, at least three leaders of the civic platform told this newspaper, requesting to be anonymous.

The first faction within the Nagorik Committee is supporting Akhter, while Adviser Mahfuj Alam, who plays a key role in the policymaking of the Nagorik Committee, wants Nasiruddin to be the new party's member secretary, the sources said.

Akhter is facing opposition from the faction belonging to former Chhatra Shakti leaders as he had a "personal rivalry" with Mahfuj since the inception of Chhatra Shakti, the sources added.

On the other hand, the former Shibir activists are trying to bring Zonaed, former president of Shibir's Dhaka University unit and member of Jatiya Nagorik Committee's executive body, into the second-in-command position of the new party.

The leftist faction wants Anik Roy, former general secretary of Chhatra Union's central committee, in a key position.

"As the new political party aims to be inclusive, people with diverse opinions are part of it. Shibir wants its former leaders to take leadership roles. While the leftists initially wanted Akhter as a leader due to his long history of doing politics, they no longer support him," a member of the Jatiya Nagorik Committee told this newspaper.

The civic platform has held a series of meetings in the last few weeks over the issue, but could not reach a conclusion as of now.

Sources said the Shibir-led faction demanded Zonaed as the member secretary of the new political party and at least four posts out of the top 10 posts.

They even threatened to quit Jatiya Nagorik Committee and form another organisation if their demands were not met.

As they did not get a "positive signal" from other key policymakers, the faction boycotted a meeting of the platform's central executive body at its office yesterday afternoon, the sources said.

Some student leaders were seen taking to social media on the issue.

"I joined the anti-fascist politics through Akhter Hossen. His love for the country and its people has always inspired us. On the Dhaka University campus, he has always stood up against the terror of Chhatra League without any hesitation. As a conscious citizen, I stand by Akhter Hossen. Don't conspire against anyone," Abdul Hannan Masud, the chief organiser of Students Against Discrimination, wrote on Facebook.

Mirza Galib, former president of DU Chhatra Shibir, wrote on Facebook, "The Nagorik Committee should have worked to create a unified political platform involving all the youth associated with the uprising … There should be proper participation of madrasa students and Shibir members … But unfortunately, it seems that the Nagorik Committee is failing to create a democratic and inclusive environment."

The Daily Star tried to reach Nasiruddin, Akhter, Zonaed and Sarjis several times, but they did not respond to phone calls and texts.