Political forces will take to the streets to topple President Mohamed Morsy if he shows any bias toward the Muslim Brotherhood at the expense of other groups, vowed former presidential candidate Abdel Moneim Abouel Fotouh during a TV interview Wednesday.
Abouel Fotouh was himself a Brotherhood leader until he was forced out last year when he announced his presidential bid in violation of the group's orders.
He said, during an appearance on private satellite channel Al-Mehwar, that he did not want the Brotherhood to reach power, but that voters chose the "patriotic" candidate when left with a runoff between Morsy and a former regime official.
Following a close race, Morsy won the runoff last month against former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq.
Abouel Fotouh denied rumors that he bears animosity toward the Brotherhood, saying he " is at odds with no one other than those hostile toward Egypt."
Maintaining religious values and teachings is everyone’s duty, he said, pointing out that religion is “not exclusive to any religious group, whether the Muslim Brotherhood or the Salafis.”
He called for the formation of a technocratic cabinet headed by an expert prime minister to boost production and improve the economy. Among the potential prime ministers he suggested were Central Bank of Egypt Governor Farouk al-Oqda and former Finance Minister Hazem al-Beblawy.
Abouel Fotouh went on to warn Morsy against remnants of Hosni Mubarak's regime, and the so-called "deep state" as they “are trying to make him appear incapable of achieving the people’s demands.”
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
