The National Citizen Party (NCP) will contest the upcoming elections with the water lily symbol, said Sarjis Alam, NCP’s Chief Organiser for the northern region.

Speaking to reporters after a coordination meeting with NCP leaders and activists in Sherpur on Monday evening, Sarjis Alam said that the party will not form any alliance just for securing seats.

“If any party can show real commitment to change and prove it through action, we may consider an electoral alliance in the interest of the nation,” he said.

“But if those promises turn out to be empty words, NCP will go to the polls alone. Even in case of an alliance, we will contest only under our water lily symbol.”

When asked whether the NCP would participate if it failed to get the water lily symbol, Sarjis said, “All legal experts we have consulted confirmed there is no legal barrier to using the water lily symbol. Since the Election Commission is a constitutional and independent body, we believe it will not act unfairly in post-uprising Bangladesh. We are confident that we will get the water lily symbol and contest the polls with it.”

About the proportional representation (PR) system, he said, “Our position is clear. We support the PR system in the upper house but not in the lower house. We want to see how the system works and benefits the country before extending it further.”

Earlier, Sarjis Alam attended a coordination meeting with Sherpur district and upazila NCP leaders as the chief guest at the Utsab Community Center.

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The meeting was chaired by Engineer Md. Likhan Mia, chief coordinator of the NCP’s Sherpur district coordination committee.

Mymensingh divisional organising secretary Ashikin Alam was present as a special guest.

Other local NCP leaders and former student activists were also present at the event.