The 20 candidates filed nomination papers ignoring party directives and threat of expulsion, sources in the parties said.

Three JP candidates and one AL candidate got grand alliance nomination from the four constituencies in the district.

In Nilphamari-1 (Domar-Dimla), JP central assistant secretary N K Alam Chowdhury, who was elected in 1996, got the alliance nomination. AL leader Hamida Banu Shova, who was elected in 2001 election, filed nomination paper from the constituency to fight the alliance candidate.

The other candidates from this constituency are AL leaders former ambassador Aminul Hossain Sarker, Domar upazila AL convener Khairul Alam Babul and district JP secretary Joinal Abedin.

Opponents of Alam Chowdhury alleged claimed that he is 'physically unfit' to run in the poll race and never visited the constituency in five years from 1996 to 2001 when he was the lawmaker.

In Nilphamari-2 (Sadar), AL central publicity secretary Asaduzzaman Noor is the alliance candidate. District AL president Dewan Kamal Ahmed and district JP secretary Joinal Abedin also filed nomination paper to challenge Noor.

In 2001 election, Asaduzzaman Noor won the seat securing 69,960 votes against his nearest rival Abdul Latif of Jamaat-e-Islami who got 65, 835 votes.

Nilpahamar-3, six candidates of AL and 3 of JP filed nomination papers against grand alliance candidate Kazi Faruk Kader.

All the AL 'rebels' are demanding cancellation of nomination of Kazi Faruk Kader. In a statement, they said they feel are embarrassed to campaign for the son of a 'collaborator of Pakistani occupation army in 1971'. Kazi Faruk Kader is the son of Kazi Kader, who was a central minister erstwhile Pakistan.

The six AL candidates are Golam Mostafa, Ansarul Islam Minu, Dipendra Nath Sarker, Kamrul Alam Kabir, Benjir Ahmed and Ohidul Islam.

The 3 JP candidates are Joinal Abedin, Rashidul Alam Chowdhury and JP chairman HM Ershad's younger brother G M Kader.

In 2001 election, AL candidate Dipendra Nath Sarker got 55,043 votes and was defeated by a Jamaat candidate who got 64,180 votes.

In Nilphamari-4 (Saidpur and part of Kishoreganj) constituency, the grand alliance candidate Shawkat Chowdhury of JP.

In 2001 election, AL candidate Maruf Saklain was defeated by BNP's Amzad Hossain Sarker with only 2,914 votes. Maruf Saklain got 57,285 votes and Amzad Hossain got 60,199.

AL candidates in this constituency are barrister Moksedul Islam, engineer Sekandar Ali, Saidpur Upazila AL president Akhtar Hossain Badal and Mosarraf Hossain.

The JP candidates are Ershad's younger sister Merina Rahman and Ahsan Azelur Rahman.