With less than two weeks to go before the March 5 elections, the country is witnessing confrontations between cadres of different political parties, raising fears that tensions could flare up in the coming days.

Though sporadic incidents and minor clashes were reported even earlier in some districts, officials and experts fear a repeat of what happened in Dang on Thursday evening.

The Rastriya Swatantra Party burned a flag with the CPN-UML’s election symbol—the sun—in Tulsipur, Dang. The incident escalated into a confrontation, prompting a strong reaction from the UML. That it took place in UML General Secretary Shankar Pokharel’s hometown has raised concerns about possibility of further clashes in the run-up to the elections.

On Friday evening, the UML supporters burnt effigies of RSP President Rabi Lamichanne and senior leader, Balendra Shah. However, Lamichanne, speaking at a public event in Dang on Saturday, said the party would take action if RSP supporters are found guilty. He claimed the incident was the work of infiltrators aiming to tarnish the RSP’s image. Likewise, the UML’s supporters also vandalised the RSP office in Dang.

On Friday, the UML strongly condemned the incident and described the act, along with offensive slogans targeting party chair KP Sharma Oli, as a criminal offence against the state, democracy, and the constitution.

Social media videos and photographs show individuals supporting the RSP, chanting slogans against UML and Oli, ringing a bell, and burning the party flag.

The UML’s volunteer wing, the National Volunteers Force, and its student wing, the All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU), warned that they would retaliate if no action was taken.

Issuing a statement, the UML’s publicity department has warned that “its patience should not be mistaken for weakness” and urged authorities to immediately identify the individuals involved and bring them to justice.

The RSP, however, has denied involvement in the incident. The party’s Dang district chair Binay Ghimire claimed infiltrators had created a misleading situation and demanded that those responsible be held accountable.

The Dang police have arrested one person in connection with the incident.

Hemanta Malla, a former Nepal Police deputy inspector general, sees security challenges in the days to come.

“This is because there is a big gulf in trust between the people and parties. And there is aggression on every side,” he said. “It looks like voters are aggressive, candidates are also aggressive, and there is still confusion about whether the elections will happen. But the way Bangladesh conducted its elections, sidelining so many adversities, gives us hope.”

Security experts warn that if the government fails to manage the security situation, incidents like Thursday’s will flare up in other parts of the country, further weakening security.

Some suggested that the RSP’s decision to cancel mass meetings in Bhairahawa and Pokhara, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, was also linked to security concerns.

But an RSP leader told the Post that the cancellations were due to senior party leader Balendra Shah falling ill. Shah returned from Surkhet early Friday morning due to health issues, including fever, vomiting, and stomach problems. He was admitted to a local hospital in Surkhet on Thursday morning before being transferred to Kathmandu. He is resting and taking medicines as per the doctor’s instructions, the RSP leader said.

Following Thursday’s incident, special security measures were put in place in Ghorahi, where the RSP held a gathering.

“As we prepared a unified security plan, we anticipated clashes between carders and supporters of different political parties as a major challenge,” a senior security official said.

“As the UML and RSP represent two different camps in last September’s Gen Z movement, we expected clashes between party cadres, but they won’t result in election postponement,” he added.

The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) also condemned the acts of RSP supporters in Dang on Thursday night.

Some RSP supporters, while welcoming Lamichhane, had protested at the statue of King Birendra. The RPP issued a statement on Friday, strongly objecting to this act.

“There is a dangerous level of aggression in society,” said Malla, while urging the government and security agencies to foster a sense of security.

“The government and the security agencies should communicate with the public. For instance, the RSP is gaining momentum, which other parties, including the UML, are trying to break. Even top leaders feel insecure, and are confined to their electoral constituencies,” said Malla.

He gave the example of how Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the coordinator of the Nepali Communist Party, are unable to hold mass rallies across the country due to security concerns.

Tensions involving the RSP have been reported from other parts of the country. On Thursday, Ashok Chaudhary, an RSP leader and candidate for Sunsari constituency-3, reportedly called those who would not vote for the party’s bell symbol “traitors to the nation” during an event in Itahari. Youths responded by chanting “Down with the bell!”, forcing Chaudhary to cut his speech short. Police escorted him out of the venue.

Another candidate, Ghanashyam Gurung, confronted Chaudhary during the event, questioning how the latter could label political opponents or non-supporters as “traitors.”

As both parties mobilise supporters and tensions rise in Dang and surrounding areas, security officials remain on high alert to prevent clashes during election-related events.

Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal said his ministry and security agencies are closely monitoring the security situation.

“The government is impartial and will conduct the elections in a free and fair manner,” he added.