BNP’s rebel mayor candidate Badruzzaman Selim has announced to stay aside from participating in the Sylhet City Corporation elections scheduled to be held on July 30.

“I am staying aside from the election vesting all out support to Ariful Haque Chowdhury,” said Selim, who was also general secretary of BNP Sylhet city unit.

The party nominated Ariful Haque Chowdhury as its candidate in the upcoming SCC elections while Selim submitted nomination papers to vie in the polls as a rebel candidate.

On July 10, BNP expelled Selim from the party for taking part in the elections by violating the party’s discipline.

BNP is still in awkward situation ahead of the Sylhet city polls being unable to ensure single candidate from the BNP-led 20-party alliance yet as the party’s key political ally Jamaat-e-Islami nominated candidate Ehsanul Mahbub Jubayer is passing very busy hours wooing voters ahead of the SCC elections.

While addressing a press conference today, Selim said he believes in BNP with body, mind and soul and thus he would stay aside from contesting the polls showing respect to the party Chairperson Khaleda Zia and its Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman.

“I must work for Ariful’s victory,” he pledged during the press conference where Ariful was present beside him.

Ali Ahmed, general secretary of Sylhet district unit BNP, said his party is still engaged in negotiating with Jamaat-e-Islami so that its candidate would refrain from contesting the polls.