While cadres of the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-Madhav Kumar Nepal faction of the Nepal Communist Party have been on the streets obstructing vehicular movement across the country to enforce a one-day nationwide general strike of faction on Thursday, Dahal was chauffeured to protests at different places in Kathmandu Valley.

There have been reports of arson and vandalism from early in the morning from across the country.

While five trucks were vandalised in Chitwan, vehicular movement has been disrupted in many other cities.

In Kathmandu a taxi was torched near Gongabu bus park area early in the morning and another taxi and a microbus were vandalised at Swayambhu and Chabahil by the demonstrators, according to the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division.

Dahal reached Pulchowk, Lalitpur in his white Toyota Land Cruiser, escorted by the police in another jeep, and spent some time with his party cadres. He then left for Jawalakhel to meet other demonstrators.

Party cadres began demonstrations after police detained at least 70 leaders and cadres including Asta Laxmi Shakya, a Standing Committee member, from Kalanki and Krishna KC, a Standing Committee member, from Chabahil Thursday morning.

The Dahal-Nepal faction, which has been protesting against Prime Minister Oli’s move of dissolving the House of Representatives, decided to hold a nationwide general strike on Thursday after as many as 32 chairs and members were sworn in at 11 Constitutional bodies on Wednesday. The faction went on with its decision of holding a general strike despite widespread criticism of and opposition to from the general public of the form of protest they had chosen for dissent.