All the major dailies published from Kathmandu highlighted forth coming local elections which are scheduled for September 18. However, there is nothing change in coverage as they are knowingly or unknowingly siding with three big parties focusing their news on the divisions and dissensions in Madhesh based regional parties.

 Given the coverage of daily broadsheets, what one can draw the conclusion that Nepali Congress and CPN-UML are the two major contenders followed by the Maoist Center.

With the third phase of local elections is just over a week away, three major parties Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Maoist Center have to fight with Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) and Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSFN).

 However, the widening rifts are caused by stiff competition among party leaders to win tickets for the third phase of local elections scheduled for September 18 is making the situation very unpredictable. There was a wide scale of rebellion in all the parties.

 If Madhesh based parties fail to end the differences, it will likely to benefits three parties. Nepali Congress is expected to gain much in the differences and inter-party feud in Madhesh based parties.

 The election fever can be seen in the candidates - affiliated with parties or independent. The parties held a meeting till the late hours of Tuesday to finalize their candidates for the local elections, which is taking place after a hiatus of almost two decades. Due to intra-party rifts, some candidates would be finalized during candidacy nomination registration on Wednesday itself, according to the leaders.

 FSFN looks no different from RJPN. Despite tremendous efforts from party leaders, they are unable to finalize the candidates.

 Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav has said the Election Commission is adopting a zero-tolerance policy against a breach of the election code of conduct and the politics of negation.

 In his address to an orientation program organized today for micro observers deputed to 136 local levels of eight districts in the Province no. 2 where the third phase of local election is taking place on coming September 18.