The fifth edition of Nepal Literature Festival kicked off in Pokhara on Friday. The festival, jointly organised by Bookworm Foundation and Random Readers’ Society, was inaugurated by retired British Gurkha officer and author JP Cross on the premises of Nepal Tourism Board.

Sambriddha Nepal, a book by Rabindra Adhikari, was launched on the first day of the festival. A panel discussion was also organised to discuss Naya Shakti, a campaign led by former UCPN (Maoist) leader Baburam Bhattarai to form a new political force. Bhattarai, CPN-UML Spokesperson Yogesh Bhattarai, and Editor in Chief of Kantipur daily Sudheer Sharma were in the panel.

The festival is scheduled to be held till February 1.