A Nepali Congress (NC) activist has been staging fast-unto-death strike in Dhangadhi, Kailali, for the past six days, accusing the party leadership of picking candidates unfairly for the second phase of local level elections.

Krishna Bahadur Kunwar, who is a former Kailali chief of NC-affiliated Nepal Students Union, has also padlocked the party office in protest.

 “There has been a gross injustice while distributing the party tickets. There was a financial dealing between aspirant candidates and party leaders while picking the nominees for Dhangadhi Sub-metropolis,” Kunwar said. “My hunger strike will continue until the nomination process is made transparent.”

Besides Kunwar, scores of other NC members have also expressed displeasure over the candidate nomination process.

In Dhangadhi-3, 32 party members have resigned en masse in protest. They have also locked the party’s ward offices in Dhangadhi-1, 3 and 4. 

“Many party members who have contributed a lot to the party and command a great deal of influence in their communities have been left out from nomination,” said Santosh Singh, who is among the 32 people to resign from the NC.

The NC district leadership has said that the dispute in the nomination process was a result of too many aspirant candidates and not enough seats.

“This dispute will resolve soon, rest assured,” said Purna Bahadur Kunwar, NC’s district committee secretary.

Nominees undecided

KANCHANPUR: While the rival parties CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Centre) have stepped up their election campaign after finalising their election candidates in Kanchanpur, the NC is yet to pick the party candidates for the second phase local polls.

It is learnt that the NC nomination process is being delayed as the party leaders are fighting to hand the election tickets to those who are close to them.

Meanwhile, the NC activists from Beldadi Village Council have urged the district leadership of the party to field right candidates.