Surkhet/Kathmandu, February 23:

Nepali Congress (NC) cadres of Surkhet district today padlocked the party’s district office alleging foul play in the distribution of tickets to candidates for the CA polls.

Cadres of pro-NC district chairman Tapta Bahadur, protesting the party’s decision to give the ticket for constituency no 3 to former minister Shiv Raj Joshi, also burnt tyres and blocked traffic at Neta chowk. Addressing the protesters, Nepal Students’ Union district joint general secretary Top Bahadur Raut said until the ticket distribution was streamlined the agitation would continue.

Meanwhile, some activists of the NC, including one general committee member of Saptari district, have decided to quit the party and join the Madhes Andolan. General committee member Hemraj Tated, representative of general committee Hajari Shah Suman and Bhikari Gupta made this decision in an assembly held in Sarbodaya Higher Secondary School in Kanchanpur today.

In another development, 10 district-level leaders of the NC tendered their resignation to the party, claiming that the nomination of NC’s candidates for the proportional election system was unfair. The leaders, who tendered the resignation are Narayan Bahadur Karki, Chitra Bahadur Karki, Bal Krishna Thapa, Irkha Bahadur Rai, Udip Rai, Maya Rai, Rabin Rai, Shalikram Khatri, Kedar KC and Krishna Khadka. The leaders have accused the party of sidelining those who dedicated their lives for the party.

They claimed that the party had not maintained regional balance while nominating candidates for the Constituent Assembly polls.