Coalition partners Nepali Congress and CPN (Maoist Centre) are working for electoral alliances in at least eight local federal units of Province 2.

The two parties were preparing to forge alliances in 20 local units but disputes among the leaders have diminished the prospect for tie-up.

According to Maoist Centre provincial coordinator Bishwonath Sah, the two parties have finalised alliances in four municipalities.

As per the understanding, the NC would field its mayoral candidates and the Maoist Centre their deputies in Mithila Municipality of Dhanusha and Nijgadh Municipality of Bara while in Lalbandi of Sarlahi and Simara of Bara the Maoist Centre would field the mayor and NC would have the deputy mayor candidates.

According to NC leader and Minister for Water Supply and Sanitation Mahendra Yadav, the two parties are also working on alliances at the local units close to the East-West Highway including Jitpur of Simara, Bagmati and Harion of Sarlahi, and Karjanha, Golbazaar and Mirchaiya of Siraha as well.

Sources claimed that Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has requested the NC to support his party at the local units near the highways in return for the third largest force voting for Congress candidates in other places even if the largest party forms electoral alliances with the Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal.

Maoist leader Sah said the party has authorised its local committees to decide alliances with either the NC or the Madhes-based parties in the local units as required.

Minister Yadav said the Congress has also entrusted its local committees with deciding alliances with the Madhesi parties. The NC and the Maoist Centre forged electoral alliances also during the first and second phases of local level elections held in six provinces earlier.

However, the Congress faction led by Ram Chandra Poudel has voiced displeasure at the alliances with the Maoist centre claiming that the smaller party had benefited mostly from such arrangements earlier.