Cadres of both the mayor-Lobi and Whip Ashraf Hossain-Manju factions were seen taking preparation for a showdown at their party offices. The city unit BNP is run by two offices under the two factions.

Meantime, leaders of the factions -- Mayor Shaikh Tayebur Rahman, lawmaker Ali Asgar Lobi and city unit Secretary Nazrul Islam Manju -- left for Dhaka yesterday at the instruction of the party high command, sources said.

They are likely to meet BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia today, the sources added.

Security measures have been beefed up in the city to ward off further violence, said a senior officer of Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP).

After Saturday's clash at Zia Hall, both the factions filed separate general diaries with Sonadanga Police Station against each other the same night.

Tariqul Islam Taru, president of Khulna city unit Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha (Jasas), filed a GD against 11 people of the whip-Manju faction.

Jasas leader Mehedi Hasan Dipu, on the other hand, filed a GD against 15 rivals.

Two factional district committees of the Jasas, the cultural wing of ruling BNP, were formed on Saturday night.