Political parties have intensified their campaigns in the district for the third phase of local elections scheduled for next week.

Candidates believe that people will vote for them if they visit them at their homes. Party cadres are tolerating scorching heat to reach people’s doorsteps.

Expressing his disagreement with the campaign tactics, a candidate appealed to the people to vote for candidates by studying their policies and the election manifesto.

Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal leader Upendra Mahato defended the tours as the only way to reach women who do not generally come out of their houses in the plains. Parties could also take their programmes and manifestos to the people that way, he observed.

Since the new local units are several times bigger than the old Village Development Committees, candidates do not find the time to reach every village in their constituencies. The CPN-UML and the CPN (Maoist Centre) said they have come to the end of their campaigns.