NCP reiterates demand for electoral symbol 'Water Lily'

The National Citizen Party (NCP) on Thursday reiterated its call to the Election Commission (NCP) to allocate 'Water Lily' as its electoral symbol, reports UNB.

The party also demanded that the Commission remove other national emblems, including the 'Sheaf of Paddy' and the 'Star', from the list of election symbols if their request is not granted.

Two options are there before the Election Commission now - either cancel paddy sheaf, star, golden fiber (symbol), or give Water Lily (to NCP)," NCP Chief Coordinator Nasir Uddin Patwary told reporters after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital.

Patwary led a three-member NCP delegation in the meeting that lasted for two and a half hours. EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed was also present at the meeting. Two other NCP delegation members are NCP Joint Convener Khaled Saifullah and NCP Joint Member Secretary Zahirul Islam Musa.

The NCP chief coordinator said they will not accept registration from the Election Commission without the 'Water Lily' symbol.

"We've made it clear that NCP will not receive registration without the Water Lily symbol. We'll wait for a month," he said.

Patwary said they believe there is no legal barrier to including Water Lily in the list of electoral symbols, adding that there is the hand of an 'invisible force' that obstructs the process.

"We see neither legal nor political barriers to getting Water Lily. We are optimistic that we'll get it," he added.