The council was held after nine years. It was attended by AL Presidium member Suranjit Sengupta and some other central leaders.

The leaders left Saturday night as the committee could not be formed.

The clash between rival factions erupted as one group demanded voting for formation of the committee while the other said members of the district body be selected by central leaders and announced from Dhaka.

"Majority of the councilors wanted voting to form the committee but being influenced by a number of local leaders, the central leaders decided to form it in Dhaka", a front ranking local leader told this correspondent Saturday night.

Party sources said Mocha-ddeque Hosen Bablu, Abul

Monsur Ahmed, Elias Ahmed and Mohshin Ali Bengal declared themselves as president candidates while Rezaul Karim Raju, Delwar Hosen and Anwarul Islam as contenders for the post of secretary.

Anwarul Islam, a member of the convening committee told this correspondent that a number of 'unpopular' misguided the central

leaders, who left Rangpur without forming a committee.

Abul Monsur Ahmed, who allegedly tried to avoid voting, said he was not against voting but thought central leaders would do whatever they thought better.