Efforts of both Awami League and BNP to pick single candidates for the upcoming upazila polls have been marked by the expulsion of rebel candidates and bargains with the political dissenters.
In Natore, Singra Awami League expelled its joint secretary Zahedul Islam Vola and Anjuman ara who opted to contest the poll as chairman and female vice-chairman, ignoring the party decision, while the BNP declared single candidates as five of its contestants agreed to withdraw their nomination papers.
In Chandpur, the BNP-led 19-party alliance at a press conference declared 13 single candidates’ names for five upazilas. None of their allies were present at the conference.
All nominated candidates were from the key component of BNP. The party failed to declare two candidates’ names as they were undecided, reports our correspondent.
Meanwhile, a distance between the local BNP and Jamaat in Kustia has surfaced over selecting candidates.
Apparently, Jamaat has become disappointed as the BNP nominated its own candidates in all three upazilas under the district.
Party leaders said Mirpur upazila Jamaat Ameer Abdul Gafur was elected upazila chairman in the last election as the BNP-led 18-party candidate.
As the Islamist party has a huge vote bank in the upazila, Jamaat requested the BNP to further nominate Gafur, but the BNP turned down the request.
Jamaat decided to contest the poll separately after the decision. It will do the same in Sadar upazila.
In Kumarkhali upazila, Jamaat supported the BNP chairman candidate, but it denied doing so for the vice-chairman and the female vice-chairman candidates.
In Rajbari, two Awami League rebel candidates were removed from their executive posts in Baliakandi upazila of the district as they defied the order of the party high command.
In Mymensingh, both AL and BNP kept more than one candidate in some posts in three upazilas – Mymensingh Sadar, Iswarganj and Bhaluka.
The BNP had a single candidate while AL three for the chairman post in Mymensingh Sadar.
In Iswarganj, nine AL candidates and seven of the BNP are still in the election race for the post of chairman.
Three candidates of AL and five of the BNP are vying for the vice-chairman post.
Three candidates from AL and one from the BNP are competing for the post of vice-chairman from the reserved seat of women in Iswarganj.
In Bhaluka, four AL candidates and three from the BNP are in their election campaign for the post of chairman.
Five candidates of AL and one each of the BNP and Jatiya Party are contesting the vice-chairman post.
Two candidates from AL and one from the BNP are in the race for the post of vice-chairman from the reserved seat of women in Bhaluka.