Kathmandu, May 31

The Federal Alliance today decided to withdraw its torch rallies planned for today and general strike planned for tomorrow and Friday after the government decided to reschedule the second phase of local polls.

The FA, however, announced fresh but mild forms of protests from June 1 to 8.

The alliance issued a release stating if the government failed to   ensure passage of the constitution, didn’t withdraw false charges slapped against cadres of the agitating forces and failed to increase the number of local levels in Madhes  by June 8, then it would intensify its protest.

It decided to form protest mobilisation committees in every village, ward, rural municipality and municipality between June 1 and 4.

On June 5, the FA will hold meetings of protest mobilisation committees and hold interaction in villages, blocks and wards and devise further protest strategies.

The FA added in its release that it would hold meetings of protest mobilisation committees in all rural municipalities and municipalities on June 6 and would also hold interaction to intensify protests.

On June 7 the FA will hold grand mass meetings in rural municipalities and municipalities.  It will also impose vehicular strike from 1:00pm to 3:00pm on June 8.

The FA added that it had taken positively the government’s decision to hold the second phase of local polls on June 28, as it addressed the concerns of the Muslim community.