Leading a 62-party delegation, former prime minister Baburam Bhattarai on Thursday served a two-day ultimatum to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, demanding an amendment to the Local Level Election Act.

Under the act, only those parties currently representing in Parliament will get their respective election symbol and all others will have to fight in the local elections as independent candidates.

According to PM’s Secretariat, PM Dahal told the delegation that he would discuss the matter with major parties NC and CPN-UML as the amendment in the act needs to be endorsed by Parliament. Earlier organising a press meet, coordinator of the Naya Shakti Nepal Bhattarai had warned of foiling the local polls if the government failed to issue his party with its election symbol.

The party has also demanded an all-party government for the elections, amendment to the constitution ensuring rights of Madhesi, Janajati and Tharus and provision to incur elections costs by the government.