Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal (RJP-N) supporters disrupted an election campaign organised by the CPN-UML at Sah Stadium in Rajbiraj on Sunday.

They stormed the stadium, broke the furniture and set fire to the UML flags, banners and other election publicity materials.  

After RJP-N supporters disrupted their event, the UML cadres, led by the party’s mayoral candidate, Sukharam Yadav, headed straight to the District Administration Office (DAO), where an interaction was underway in the run-up to the June 28 elections. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Ayodhee Prasad Yadav was among the attendants.

 There, the enraged UML cadres vented their ire on Yadav and Chief District Officer (CDO) Krishna Bahadur Katuwal for failing to maintain law and order in the district.

Aiming his remarks at CEC Yadav, Sukharam said: “What’s the point of preaching about elections when the authorities are failing to ensure security? Can’t UML campaign anymore?”

The UML mayoral candidate also claimed that the local administration had not bothered to send security personnel despite knowing that the party was organising its programme at Sah Stadium and there was a high possibility of RJP-N interference.

After hearing out Sukharam’s concerns, CEC Yadav instructed CDO Katuwal to provide security to all political parties campaigning for the second phase of local elections.   

CDO Katuwal admitted to the security lapses that had led to the RJP-N disrupting the UML programme. He, however, refuted Sukharam’s claim that the DAO had been informed about the UML programme.

On the same day, RJP-N supporters also tried to disrupt the interaction held at the DAO.

A brief clash broke out between RJP-N supporters and police before calm was restored.