Former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai has dared the political parties to announce the election to the federal parliament by dissolving the Legislature-Parliament.

Addressing a joint press conference at his party office in Babarmahal to announce the protest programme of the 68-party front, Naya Shakti Nepal coordinator Bhattarai challenged the major parties to dissolve the incumbent Parliament and declare the election for the federal parliament.

He asked the parties to prove their strength in the elections instead of boasting their seats won in the Constituent Assembly, which “holds no significance” after promulgation of the new constitution. He accused the parties of hesitating to implement the constitution by holding the three layers of elections by January next year.

The front led by Bhattarai has been pressing for election symbols for participation in the upcoming local level elections. He said earlier that his party would not allow the local polls to happen if the NSN did not get “eye” as its vote symbol. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal had also consulted with Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav whether Bhattarai’s party could be awarded a single electoral symbol across the country.

Bhattarai demands that the government hold provincial and federal elections before the local polls scheduled for May 14. The former Maoist leader, who is preparing to unite his Naya Shakti Party with the Upendra Yadav-led Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal, has also pressing the government to resolve the issues being raised by the agitating Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha first.

As announced, the 68-party front would organise a relay hunger strike at Ratnapark on April 15-21. The struggle would be led by top leaders of the alliance. The disgruntled parties would picket the prime minister’s residence in Baluwatar and the Parliament building in New Baneshwor later.