Nat'l polls: AL gives up 26 seats for JP, 6 for allies

The ruling Awami League today said that it has given up six constituencies for its alliance partners and 26 for the Jatiya Party in the January 7 national election.

While talking with reporters at the Election Commission, AL office secretary Biplob Barua said their party leaders have withdrawn their candidacies from these 32 seats.

Biplob came to inform the EC about the withdrawal of party contestants in seats where they will field alliance candidates.

The ruling party candidates will contest for 263 constituencies, he said.

He also said that all Jatiya Party candidates will contest under the party symbol. The alliance candidates will contest under AL's "boat" symbol.

He said the AL has given up six seats for its alliance partners -- three seats for Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, two for Workers Party of Bangladesh, and one for Jatyia Party (Manju).

Biplob Barua said the 26 seats which were given up for the Jatiya party are: Thakurgaon-3, Nilphamari-3 and 4, Rangpur-1 and 3, Kurigram-1 and 2, Gaibandha-1 and 2, Bogura-2 and 3, Satkhira-2, Patuakhlai-1, Barishal-3, Pirojpur-3, Myemnsingh-5 and 8, Kishoreganj-3, Manikganj-1, Dhaka-18, Habiganj-1, Brahmanbaria- 2, Feni-3, Chattogram-5 and 8, and Narayanganj-5.

The six seats for the alliance are Bogura-4, Rajshahi-2, Kushtia-2, Barishal-2, Pirojpur-2 and Lakshmipur-4, he added.