Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, March 13:

Activists of five political parties are to stage demostrations all over the country tomorrow to press their demand for a “representative government.” Tomorrow will see the beginning of the second phase of their protest demonstrations.The first stage was on March 8, the International Women’s Day, when a number of central leaders of the parties courted arrest. Some of them are yet to be freed. The parties which have come together once again are the Nepali Congress (NC), the CPN-UML, NC (D), Jana Morcha Nepal (JMN) and Nepal Sadbhavana

Party (Anandi). The alliance was formed on February 26.

The alliance has been pressing for withdrawal of the royal takeover of February 1 . Political observers interpret this to mean reinstatement of the Sher Bahadur Deuba- led government, a dispensation which had the participation of four political parties. The NC has also joined joined the alliance. The party had decided last week to take part in in the five-party protests.

Party functionaries have meanwhile claimed that the latest instance of the NC workers joining tomorrow’s demos amounts to joining the alliance forgetting its political agenda, which is revival of the House of Representatives.”

Protest rally in Pokhara

POKHARA: Four student organisations staged a surprise demonstration in Pokhara on Sunday,

demanding the restoration of democracy. Kaski district president of the ANNFSU, Rashmi Acharya, said the students took out rallies and distributed pamphlets by shouting slogans against the February 1 royal takeover in Bagbazaar, Dhobigauda, New Road, Naya Bazaar, Prithvi Chowk bus park, Baglung bus park and Ram Bazaar. — HNS