A total of 283 candidates, including seven mayoral contestants, will vie for 45 posts in the Rangpur City Corporation polls billed for December 21.

According to the EC Secretariat’s factsheet, seven candidates are running for the mayoral post while 211 for 33 general councillor posts and 65 for 11 reserved councillor seats, reports the UNB.

A total of 306 aspirants had submitted their nomination papers against the 45 posts.

However, 13 nomination papers were cancelled during scrutiny while 10 councillor candidates withdrew their candidature within the deadline that expired on Sunday.

The seven mayoral candidates are Awami League contestant Sarfuddin Ahmed Jhantu, Jatiya Party contender Mostafizur Rahman, BNP candidate Kawsar Jahan Babla, Islami Andolan Bangladesh contender ATM Golam Mostafa, Basod’s Abdul Kuddus, NPP’s Selim Akhter and independent candidate Hossain Makbul Shahriar.

The official electioneering also began on Monday with the distribution of election symbols among the 283 candidates.