In what is seen as their show of strength, both sides are organizing mass meets in Dailekh bazaar today, with the ruling Maoist party’s gathering taking place in Kadachaur at noon, while opposition parties organizing their meet at Tundikhel, just 15 minutes walk from the Maoists’ program venue. [break]
More than 100 police personnel have been deployed in the district headquarters, considering a possible clash. The ruling party-aligned Young Communist League (YCL) cadres have arrived here on 22 trucks under police escort at 5 am, clearing fallen trees on the road meant to block their passage.
Opposition parties have enforced shutdown in the district headquarters since early this morning. Hundreds of their cadres have descended on the road, shouting slogans. Protesters have planted black flags on the rooftops of their houses.
Opposition parties have called the banda in protest of the scheduled visit of Prime Minister Baburam Bhattari to the district. In recent times, locals have been staging protests against the government intervention in the investigation into the 2004 murder of the district-based journalist, Dekendra Thapa.
Along with PM Bhattarai, who is also a Vice-chairman of the ruling Maoist party, party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and another Vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha are due in Dailekh this afternoon to inaugurate the party’s district convention.
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