NCP plans solo run in local polls, targets candidates in all unions

The National Citizen Party (NCP) is preparing to contest the upcoming local government elections independently, without forming an alliance with any political party, NCP Chief Organiser (Northern Region) Sarjis Alam said today (3 September).

"We will contest the elections independently. Keeping that in mind, the NCP is working rapidly at the grassroots level to strengthen its organisational capacity," Sarjis told reporters after a coordination meeting at the NCP office.

He said the party has already announced candidates for 100 upazilas and municipalities and plans to announce candidates for another 100 by the end of September.

NCP has also announced candidates for five city corporations, while the remaining city corporation candidates will be announced within this month, he added.

The party is also preparing to field candidates in all union parishads. Sarjis said Bangladesh has around 4,600 unions and the party is working to announce NCP-backed candidates for union chairman posts by November.

"We will contest the upcoming local elections independently, and there will be NCP-backed candidates from every union to every ward in Bangladesh," he said.

Sarjis also said the party aims to form convening committees in all unions across the country by November as part of its organisational expansion.

NCP Political Council member and head of its media sub-committee Sarwar Tusher told The Business Standard that the party would participate in the local government elections without forming any alliance.

He said the candidate selection process is underway and the party wants to ensure participation based on candidates' skills and qualifications.