The agitating Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) announced a protest program to disrupt the local poll scheduled for June 28. They announced the protest program following failure of the talks with the government.

Top leader of RJPN also demanded deferral of local polls until their demands are met during a meeting with the senior leaders of ruling Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN (Maoist Center) held at the Prime Minister’s Office in Singha Durbar on Sunday.

“We have been struggling to establish the rights of people not to amend the act,” said Rajendra Mahato.”Since three main parties cheated Madheshis, there is no option now other than to call strike.”

The demands by the RJPN come in the wake of the government filing an application at the Supreme Court to vacate its earlier decision to stay government’s move to increase local units in the tarai, and the parliament endorsing a bill to bring amendment to the Political Party Act. The amendment will allow the RJPN to choose from among six election symbols that were allocated to the RJPN constituent parties before their merger.

Although ruling parties are positive toward RJPN’s demands, they rejected outright the proposal to further defer the June 28 polls. Also, they have ruled out the possibility of amendment to the constitution before the second phase of local polls.