KATHMANDU, Jan 30: The CPN-UML has given an ultimatum to the government to announce the date of local elections by Monday. The UML has given such an 'ultimatum' accusing the five-party ruling coalition of conspiring to postpone the local elections to be held in April.
A meeting of the front organization mechanism of the party held on Saturday has also decided to launch a nationwide agitation against the government's reluctance to fix the election date. "We are agitated now. Let the government understand. We have to protect the system brought by the people. Now we are blowing the whistle,” said Bhanubhakta Dhakal, head of the front organization mechanism. According to him, the meeting of the front organization has instructed all the 22 people's organizations to join the movement. Dhakal said that the agitation has already started since Saturday.
Poll date likely to be announced Saturday
The decision was taken after UML chairperson KP Sharma Oli directed the party to mobilize the people across the country to put pressure on the government to hold local elections on time. Oli had called the heads of the party front organizations, heads of various departments and in-charges and the chairpersons of the people's organizations at his residence in Balkot and instructed them to mount pressure on the government.
The meeting has decided to put pressure on the government to fix the election date immediately.
According to Mahesh Basnet, in-charge of the youth association participating in the meeting, the meeting also decided to issue a memorandum to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to press for immediate announcement of the election date.
The meeting also decided to hold protests in different parts of the country if the date is not announced by next Monday. Before that, the memorandum will be handed over to all 77 district administration offices on behalf of the UML, said Basnet.
