KATHMANDU: The presidium meeting of the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal has decided not to take part in the second phase of local polls on June 28 until their demands are addressed. The meeting was held at the party's office at Anamnagar in Kathmandu this afternoon. In a statement today, RJP-N has said that it's ongoing protest against the local polls would continue until the demands are heeded by the incumbent government. 'The alliance could not accept the government's unilateral decisions about the local polls which are against the understanding reached with the Federal Alliance and Rastriya Janata Party Nepal,' according to Coordinator of the alliance Mahantha Thakur. 'The alliance have announced to carry out baton rallies in the Madhes and Tharuhat region on Saturday and impose general strikes in the Terai region on Sunday,' it said in a statement. The Rastriya Janta Party Nepal have been demanding constitution amendment before the local polls on June 28, increase in local bodies in the region and withdrawal of fake cases filed against their cadres. However, the ruling coalition have assured them of amending the constitution after the local polls despite main opposition UML's protest. Earlier, RJP-N along with other Madhes based parties have voted for Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba in the Prime Ministerial election at the Legislative-Parliament on the condition that the Deuba-led government would amend the constitution and address their other demands. Meanwhile, the agitating RJP-N has said that the protest programmes announced earlier would be carried out as planned. It also said that the alliance may announce fresh stir to disrupt and foil the second round of local polls. Rastriya Janta Party Nepal was formed after six parties Terai Madhes Loktantrik Party led-by Mahantha Thakur, Sadbhavana Party led-by Rajendra Mahato, Nepal Sadbhawana Party led-by Anil Kumar Jha, Terai Madhes Sadbhawana Party led-by Mahendra Yadav, Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (Ganatantrik) led-by Rajkishor Yadav and Rastriya Madhesh Samajwadi Party led-by Sarat Singh Bhandari were merged on April 20, 2017. READ ALSO:

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