The BNP yesterday said holding Union Parishad (UP) polls on partisan lines might create unrest at the grassroots level and wreak havoc on public life.

The party, however, would participate in the upcoming UP polls for the sake of democracy.

The BNP yesterday wrote a letter to the Election Commission, mentioning this. A four-member BNP delegation, led party's Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed, submitted the letter to EC Secretary Sirazul Islam.

For the first time, elections to the posts of UP chairman would be held on partisan lines, and chairman aspirants would be able to contest the polls, using party symbols or independently. Aspirants for other posts could run independently.

Elections to 752 UPs would be held in the first phase on March 22, while over 3,500 more UPs would go to polls in phases until June 4, according to the polls schedule announced by the EC on Thursday.

"It is illogical to hold the Union Parishad polls on partisan lines. It will have a negative impact on the society…it will wreak havoc on public life," Rizvi told reporters after the meeting with the EC secretary.

As the polls would be held at the grassroots level, personal popularity and image of the candidates were more important than their political identity, he viewed.

"We had similar reservation about the partisan municipality polls. But the Election Commission did not pay heed to us," mentioned Rizvi.

In response to the BNP's objection to the partisan polls, EC Commissioner Shah Nawaz said the commission had nothing to do about it because the law was amended in parliament.

"We don't think the partisan elections will affect harmony at the grassroots level. The recent partisan municipality polls were held in a peaceful manner," Nawaz claimed before reporters at his office.