Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) President Col (retd) Oli Ahmed yesterday said the party' will contest the upcoming parliamentary election separately.

"We have decided to contest the election alone, not as a component of any alliance," he told a press conference at the party' office in the capital's Moghbazar.

SEE PAGE IS COL 1 He said his party had demanded 15 to 20 seats from the AL-led alliance but it did not respond.

’We gave the names of our 53 potential candidates to Awami League hoping that the final list would be prepared through discussion with the grand alliance leaders. Although date for holding talks on seat-sharing with Awami League leaders had been fixed several times, the meeting was not held," the LDP chief said referring to the reasons for his party's contesting the polls independently.

The LDP electoral symbol is umbrella'.

The LDP chief also accused BNP of luring his party leaders into contesting the polls under BNP ticket in exchange for ministerial positions in the future government.

LDP Secretary General Jahanara Begum, Joint Secretary General Shahadat Hossain Selim, presidium members Didar Bakht, Nazimuddin, Abul Kashem Chowdhury and Isrnat Zerin were present