BNP has expelled 61 more leaders for being candidates in the upazila parishad elections defying the party decision.Of them, 26 are chairman, 19 vice chairman and 16 women vice chairman candidates, a press release said on Saturday.According to the press release, leaders who are contesting for the posts of chairman, vice chairman and women vice chairman in the second phase upazila parishad polls defying the party decision have been removed from all party posts, including primary membership. The second phase upazila parishad election will take place on May 21.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi earlier on April 16 said the party's National Standing Committee decided to boycott the upazila elections starting on May 8.

At that time, Rizvi said BNP boycotted the parliament, and local government elections previously held under the Sheikh Hasina-led government and her fabricated Election Commission as these were not taken place fairly.

There are logical reasons not to participate in the upcoming upazila parishad polls as the environment of a fair and peaceful election was not created and the existing anarchy situation worsened, he added.