JP's Salma to contest as an independent

Jatiya Party Presidium Member Salma Islam submitted her nomination paper as independent candidate yesterday for contesting from Dhaka-1 in the 11th parliamentary polls.

Salma, the incumbent MP of the constituency, took the decision as she did not get the party ticket, said party insiders.

The JP high-ups had pressed ruling Awami League to leave Dhaka-1 for Salma. However, AL nominated Salman F Rahman, adviser for Sheikh Hasina's private sector development affairs, for contesting against Salma, JP insiders added.

In the 2014 election, Salma defeated AL Presidium Member Abdul Mannan Khan and got elected as the MP of Dhaka-1.

According to JP sources, the party leaders and activists are annoyed with AL for nominating ruling party leaders from constituencies where JP already has incumbent MPs.

Ruhul Amin Hawlader, secretary general of JP, said around 200 party aspirants submitted nomination papers before the nomination submission ended yesterday.

About JP chief HM Ershad's hospitalisation, Ruhul Amin said, "Our chairman is now fine and healthy. He has been admitted to CMH [Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka] for regular health check-ups and will return home within a day or two."

About Ershad's involvement in the "nomination business," Ruhul Amin said a vested quarter was spreading propaganda against the party.

“Such allegation is totally baseless and false,” he added.