However, there are differences of opinion among the senior leaders of the party over the present political situation as a few of them fear that the party might face dilemma if the election is not held on the basis of consensus among the political parties, sources said.

"I think it would not be a wise decision for us to go for an election without the participation of all the parties as the international community has already declared that such an election will not be acceptable to them," a senior party leader said yesterday.

BNP Standing Committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossian, on the other hand, said there is no alternative to holding the election as per the schedule.

"Election must be held on the date fixed by the Election Commission," he said, adding that there is no scope to make delay in holding election although the Election Commission could make a few changes in the schedule except the election date.

BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan at a press briefing on Thursday said they would not accept any shifting of polls date.

As part of preparation for the upcoming election, BNP has started distributing the nomination forms and announced the dates for taking interview of the nomination seekers. The party will finalise its candidates through interviews within December 15, sources said.

Following Thursday's incident at the Supreme Court, 'hard-line' BNP leaders are trying to keep pressure on the president and chief adviser to take punitive action against those who create 'anarchy and chaos' in the name of political programme.

They are also trying to convince the party high-ups that they could face the 14-party in the street.

Strongly criticising the vandalism at Supreme Court on Thursday, Khandaker Mosharraf said Awami League does not want election and so it is trying to destroy all the institutions including the caretaker government, Election Commission and judiciary.

"If the election is not held in time, the country will face constitutional crisis. It can even hamper constitutional rule," he added.

A group of senior leaders are urging the party leadership to put continuous pressure on the caretaker government for holding the election as per schedule at any cost, party sources said, adding that they do not want to make any compromise with their political opponents over the present political impasse.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia during her view exchange meeting with the pro-BNP professional bodies in last week criticised the advisers of the caretaker government for their speaking for the participation of all parties in the elections.

"The only duty of caretaker government is to assist the Election Commission in holding a free and fair election, not to bring any party into election," she said.

The BNP leadership decided to continue their demonstration during their opponents' blockade programme to ensure control in politics and they will not accept any change in the caretaker government no matter what happens, sources said.

"The chief justice has done the right thing and he is empowered to do that," Mosharraf said over the chief justice's last moment decision on the writ petition filed by Awami League on the chief adviser and election schedule.

Senior BNP leaders urged the chief justice not to open the court without ensuring punishment of those involved in the vandalism at the Supreme Court.

"Don't open the court until the criminals who attacked your office are brought under justice," BNP Standing Committee member Khandaker Mahbub Uddin Ahmed urged the chief justice at a rally yesterday.