Kathmandu, August 24
Madhesh-centric Rastriya Janata Party Nepal, which had boycotted the first and second phases of local level elections, has finally decided to contest the third phase of polls in Province 2 scheduled for September 18.
The party has also decided to use cycle as its election symbol after the Election Commission did not grant it umbrella as the symbol as it had demanded.
Earlier, the party’s office bearers had authorised the six-member presidium to make the final decision about joining the polls and pick a symbol from six symbols of its constituent parties.
Organising a press conference in Kathmandu today, RJPN presidium member Mahantha Thakur said the party decided to join the election process as the government met some of its demands whereas the political context in the country has changed.
Earlier, the party was demanding that the constitution must be amended to contest the polls. However, Parliament had rejected the amendment bill the government brought when it was put to vote earlier this week.
Blaming the main opposition CPN-UML for the failure to get the amendment endorsed, the party has decided to launch a soft protest.
At the meantime, the party says it has begun selecting party candidates and drafting manifesto for the polls.
