Nomination papers submitted as deadline ends

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Several hundred party nominees and independent election aspirants Sunday submitted nomination papers amid enthusiasm as the deadline for the submission expired on the day under the revised polls schedule, report BSS/ UNB/ bdnews24.com.
BNP gave nomination to 276 candidates to contest in 263 constituencies but it is likely to drop few finally to accommodate the components of the 4-party alliance.
Party sources said hard bargaining continued with Jamaat, which wants to contest from at least 40 seats. It has been offered 35, at best 37.
IOJ has been given 3 and BJP 2. Khelafat Majlis has been offered one. JAGPA, a new component, has been given one, to its president Shafiul Alam Prodhan.
Sources said around 18 former MPs known as reformists in BNP have been denied party nomination while about a dozen new faces awarded the party ticket, creating resentment among the activists at the grass roots level.
BNP's key ally Jamaat-e-Islami has filed 36 nominations countrywide for the general elections slated for Dec. 29, some party leaders said Sunday.
On the other hand, Awami League and Jatiya Party, the two key components of their grand alliance, put an end to all rumours and apprehensions over their coalition and renewed their unflinching promise to contest the polls and form the government unitedly in the event of their win.
Awami League spokesperson Syed Ashraful Islam and Jaitya Party acting chairman Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud at a joint press briefing on Sunday night at Dhanmondi office of Sheikh Hasina said by one voice that the grand alliance would continue to work as usual to ensure victory in the polls to build a corruption-free and non-communal country.
About the bargaining between the two parties over seat sharing and president post for JP chief Hussain Mohammad Erashad as per a bilateral agreement, Ashraful Islam said AL and JP reached a "respectful" level over the seat- sharing and other issues.
Asked about JP chief HM Ershad's statement after the party's Sunday afternoon's presidium meeting that JP would have no way but to contest the polls individually unless Ershad is made President and JP given its desired 60 seats, Anisul Islam Mahmud seemed confused.