Nepali Congress Central Member Shekhar Koirala has remarked that the local level elections cannot be termed successful even if 80 percent votes were cast unless parties affiliated to Madhesi Morcha participated in it.

Talking to the Post in his home district on Thursday, leader Koirala warned that if the state pushes for election without bringing the agitating Madhes-centric parties on board, this would be counterproductive for the country.

Leader Koirala was talking to Naresh Kumar Yadav, among other NC leaders, regarding election environment in province no. 2 at his residence Biratnagar today.

Leader Yadav reportedly told Koirala that it would be beneficial for NC in Madhes if Morcha didn’t participate in the elections, however, the Morcha’s decision to resign from the Legislature-Parliament would lead to a situation of confrontation.

He also alleged that the main opposition CPN-UML was in a ploy to reap benefit by bringing differences among Madhes and hill. “In such a situation, the risk will rise if the Morcha boycotts the elections and quit the Parliament,” said leader Koirala.

Koirala said that he was upset with the government decision on increasing the number of local units in province no. 2 only, which he believes to be discriminatory. “It wouldn’t have been wrong to decide the numbers of local bodies in entire Madhes districts based on population factor,” he said, adding, “There should be 55 percent local entities in hill and 45 percent in Madhes.”