BHAIRAHAWA: Province 5 government's decision to table a proposal to declare Bhalubang in Dang district as state capital has sparked widespread protest in Butwal, on Friday.

The agitating protesters vandalised three government vehicles during the protest today.

People from all the six districts of Lumbini zone joined the demonstrattions following the provincial government's decision to shift the state capital from Butwal to Dang district.

During the protest, the agitating locals chanted slogans against the government and set tyres on fire at assorted locations in Butwal, Manigarm, Bhairahawa and Lumbini of Rupandehi district.

State minister for Internal Affairs and Law Kul Prasad KC today tabled the proposal of naming Bhalubang in Dang district as the state capital in the provincial assembly.

According to the Provincial Assembly House Speaker Purna Bahadur Gharti, deliberation on the proposal is scheduled for Monday.

Although there have been widespread protests surrounding the decision on the state capital, consensus has been reached on the name of the state.

The provincial assembly meeting has finally finalised the name of the state after 32 months of its formation.

It has been learnt that the Province 5 Chief Minister Shanker Pokhrel forwarded the proposal of naming the state name and capital after receiving green signal from the NCP's co-chair KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal.