Leaders of Sanghiya Gathabandhan are holding a meeting at the office of Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal (RJP-N) in Bijulibazaar to come up with its official position on the government’s decision to postpone the local level elections only in Province 2.

The government on Thursday had decided to postpone the second phase of local level polls in Province 2 to bring the agitating RJP-N on board the election process.

Though the leaders of ruling coalition have been claiming that the leaders of RJP-N—the main force of Gathabandhan— had expressed commitment to join the second phase of local polls to be held in Province 1, 5 and 7 after the government's decision to postpone the polls in Province 2 for September 16, RJP-N leaders have been saying that they would not accept the government’s decision and would focus their struggle in Province 1 and 5.

A meeting of RJP-N held on Thursday evening had decided not to accept the government's unilateral decision to postpone the polls only in Province 2 and to urge the government to postpone the elections of Province 2 and 5 as well. 

According to RJP-N leader Keshav Jha, the meeting of Gathabandhan is expected to revise its ongoing protest and come up with further struggle programmes.

Jha said the government's decision has confined Gathabandhan only to Province 2 and, therefore, the alliance will now focus its struggle at Province 1 and 5. 

In a bid to bring the forces in the Gathabandhan to join the local polls at three provinces on June 28, the government had also decided to reschedule the nomination day from June 16 to June 18 on the request of RJP-N leaders.