The deputy head of Jama'a al-Islamiya's Development and Construction Party, Hassan Hamdy, called Saturday on Islamic movements to apologize to Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh for betraying him in the presidential election.
The former Muslim Brotherhood member came fourth in the first round of the election, held Wednesday and Thursday, meaning he will not make it to next month's run-off.
"Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh was subject to a fatal betrayal by Islamic movements that announced they backed him and then voted in favor of another candidate," he said.
He added: "[All the Islamic movements] are responsible for his failure that way."
Some Islamists announced their support of Abouel Fotouh, but did not participate as enthusiastically as in the parliamentary elections, he said.
"Salafis and Jama'a al-Islamiya failed their candidate. That is why I haven't met any Development and Construction Party members because I'm disappointed at their omission of Abouel Fotouh, who wanted to apply his platform to build Egypt."
"We found Salafis giving their signatures to Abouel Fotouh and at the same time mobilizing people to support [Muslim Brotherhood candidate] Morsy, which prompted us to cancel their signatures. Some followed an immoral route, saying something and intending to do something else, and that is the essence of the hypocrisy which led to the failure of Abouel Fotouh," he added.
For instance, he said, in Ismailia a Salafi Dawah official organized rallies for Morsy, so others were reluctant to back Abouel Fotouh.
He said that Jama'a al-Islamiya will spare no effort in backing Morsy in the run-off against former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq despite the disagreement between his group and Brotherhood that began 30 years ago.
"But we will put salt on the wounds and back him even if they do not call on us … because we uphold the supreme interests of the country," he said.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
