One day after he lost the election for president of the Freedom and Justice Party, Essam al-Erian asked President Mohamed Morsy to remove him from his position as presidential adviser.
Erian, who is also vice president of the party, asked Saad al-Katatny, the new president of the FJP, to conduct elections for the positions of party vice president and secretary general.
Katatny won 67 percent of the votes for the FJP presidency.
Erian wrote on Twitter Saturday, “I asked the president today to remove me from the advisory panel and I asked the party to elect a new deputy and secretary general.”
Ahmed Sobie, the media spokesperson for the FJP and the head of Erian’s office, told Al-Masry Al-Youm that Erian wanted to save Katatny any embarrassment when picking his aides.
Katatny authorized Erian to manage party affairs while he and his wife perform the Hajj in Saudi Arabia, the former tweeted on Sunday.
Erian tweeted in response that he is working today in Katatny’s absence at the party’s administrative headquarters.
A source within the Brotherhood said Erian is angry that the Guidance Bureau did not support him and added that Deputy Supreme Guide Khairat al-Shater directed members to vote for Katatny.
The same source added that there are strong disagreements between Erian and several party leaders as well as tensions between Brotherhood and FJP leaders following the result of the election.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
