Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Bijay Kumar Gachhadar said on Wednesday that local elections in some Tarai districts would be held “in third phase”.

The second phase of local elections is scheduled for June 28 in Provinces 1, 2, 5 and 7, the Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal (RJP-N) has launched protests, saying it will disrupt the polls.

Elections in the districts where they cannot be held on June 28 will be held in the third phase, said Gachhadar, also the chairman of Nepal Loktantrik Forum, which  is one of the two Madhes-based parties that is participating in the elections.

“I am not in favour of holding polls forcefully. Polls without consensus will ignite conflict,” Gachhadar told reporters in Biratnagar. “Holding elections in 11 districts in October/ November can be a possibility if the RJP-N assures us that it will participate,” he said, without giving specifics about provinces and the districts.  (PR)