Leaders of the Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal have termed the second phase of local level elections as a “drama” staged by the government.

Talking to reporters in Gorusinge of Kapilvastu on Monday, RJP-N leader Rajkishor Yadav claimed that the election being held by “excluding a sizeable Nepali population” was meaningless. The government only spent billions of rupees from the state coffers in the name of elections, he argued.

Charging the government with betraying the Madhesi people, Yadav said that an election that causes public suffering is meaningless in a democracy. In another context, he accused the government of conspiring to attack the RJP-N leaders during a clash in Nawalparasi on Saturday.

RJP-N central leaders Mahantha Thakur, Anil Jha and Jitendra Sonal were also in Kapilvastu on Monday. The RJP-N, which opposed the local elections, has been protesting in the plains. Despite the party’s policy of disrupting the elections, scores of RJP-N cadres have been registered as independent candidates from several local units in Nawalparasi, Rupandehi and Kapilvastu districts.

Meanwhile, police on Monday released 56 RJP-N supporters who were detained from Kapilvastu and Nawalparasi districts in the past two days. They were rounded up suspecting their motive of foiling the candidate nomination process.

‘Cadres’ nomination as agreed with govt’

BUTWAL: Home Minister Janardan Sharma has claimed that the RJP-N activists filed their nominations as independent candidates in line with an agreement reached with the government. Talking to journalists in Butwal on Monday, Sharma said the RJP-N had hinted Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba about their candidacy. He also asserted that the RJP-N would take part in the third phase of local polls.

‘Upendra bribed to join vote’

KATHMANDU: General Secretary of Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal Manish Kumar Suman has accused Upendra Yadav, chairman of the Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum-Nepal, of jumping on the election bandwagon after getting a hefty sum from the government.

Speaking at the Reporters’ Club here on Monday, Suman claimed that he could produce evidence of the “bribery” if necessary.

SSF-N leader Yadav has challenged Suman to produce evidence or apologise for his remarks.

“One who made this disgusting allegation should either produce evidence or apologise to the Madhesi people,” Yadav said. Suman had accused Yadav of betraying the Madhesis. (PR)