EC to meet JSD factions

The Election Commission will discuss with both factions of the newly split Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal to choose an authorised person who will nominate the party's chairman candidates in the Union Parishad polls.

"We have decided to ask both groups to appear before the commission for discussion," Election Commissioner Shah Nawaz told The Daily Star yesterday.

The meeting will be held within two or three days, he said.

As per the rule, political parties willing to join the polls must inform the EC of their authorised persons, who will pick party candidates.

In the first and second phase UP polls, held on March 22 and March 31, JSD's then general secretary Sharif Nurul Ambia was the authorised person.

But the party, led by Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, split into two following a feud over electing the party's general secretary in its national council on March 12.

In one faction, Inu and lawmaker Shirin Akhter are playing the roles of president and general secretary, while the other faction is led by Sharif Nurul Ambia and lawmaker Nazmul Haque Prodhan as president and general secretary.

Following the split, the factions sent the names of Shirin Akhter and Nazmul Haque Prodhan to the EC as authorised persons.

Against the backdrop, the EC decided to talk to both factions.

In the first ever partisan UP polls, JSD-nominated chairman aspirants won in five UPs, according to EC's statistics. Election to 621 UPs is slated for April 23 in the third phase.