The party walked out of the talks after BAM and BCP rejected its belated proposal for a total merger and adoption of its name. After the pullout, BCP and BAM forged ahead with the talks, resulting in last Mondays six-point agreement on the use of the pact model as the vehicle of cooperation, establishment of coordinating structures, power sharing principles, formulation of a joint manifesto, a common code of conduct and principles for sharing wards and constitutions. The two partners are scheduled to fine tune and adopt the agreement when they meet on May 2 and the BPP have had a change of heart and wants to get back on board.
Yesterday, BPP leader Bernard Balikani said that they were forced out of the talks because BAM and BCP misunderstood his party but nevertheless they are prepared to go back to the negotiating table. People misunderstood us and thought that when we proposed a total merger, it was cast in stone and that our proposal should be taken in wholesale without any compromise, asserted Balikani yesterday.
