KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress has decided to urge the government to announce the date of the local elections immediately.

A meeting of the NC office-bearers and former office-bearers at the Parliamentary Party office in Singha Durbar today decided to demand that the government hold local elections at any cost.

According to NC General Secretary Dr Shashank Koirala, the party has also decided it would be easier to hold local elections in the existing structure.

The party believes that announcement of the election dates would exert pressure on the CPN-UML and other opposition parties to stop obstructing the parliamentary sessions, according to Koirala.

Meanwhile, NC leader Ram Chandra Poudel said the party would also seek a national consensus on the announcement of the date of local elections based on the discussions with the UML, CPN MC and other parties.

The meeting will be held again tomorrow.