With the third phase of local polls in Province 2 just a week away, major political parties have shifted their focus on the eight Tarai districts.

Top leaders of three major parties—Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and the CPN (Maoist Centre)—are set to intensify their electoral campaigns in the province.

While Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has been holding a series of mass meetings in the plains, NC President and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli are set to address rallies starting this week.

According to the NC’s publicity department, Deuba will go campaigning in the region from Tuesday. Senior leaders Ram Chandra Poudel and Shashank Koirala will join Deuba, who will stay in the region until the silent period begins on the midnight of September 15. Deuba will address an event in Rajbiraj, Saptari and Jiro Mail, Siraha on Tuesday, followed by similar events in Janakpur and Bardibas on Wednesday. On Thursday, the prime minister will tour Sarlahi and Rautahat and then Parsa and Bara before returning to Kathmandu the same day.

NC leader Min Bishwokarma told the Post that the party will put in maximum effort to retain its top position in Madhes, the party’s traditional base. “The NC is confident about winning 80 seats in Province 2,” Bishwokarma said, adding that the party views UML as its main opponent. The eight Tarai districts have 136 local units in total.

UML chief Oli will also be making rounds of several districts to bolster his party’s chances. Surya Thapa, deputy, Central Publicity Department of the UML, said the party’s Standing Committee meeting on Monday will finalise the schedule of events in Province 2. Thapa said the party aims to win 70 to 80 seats in the province.

The main opposition UML has mobilised its top leaders in the region. While senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal has been in the plains for weeks, other influential leaders like Bishnu Poudel, Pradeep Gyawali, Ghanashyam Busal, Gokarna Bista, Bhim Acharya and Yogesh Bhattarai are also campaigning in the province. General Secretary Ishwor Pokhrel leads the UML team.

Maoist Chair Dahal addressed a rally in Chandranigahpur of Rautahat and Dumariya of Sarlahi on Sunday. The former PM, who is said to have taken charge of the campaign in Province 2, has told voters that the party keeps the issues of Madhes at its core. Other Maoist leaders including Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Barsha Man Pun and Matrika Yadav are also canvassing for votes.

In the first two phases of local elections, the UML garnered 36.82 percent votes, followed by 34.42 percent of the NC and 17.67 percent of the Maoists, respectively.