KATHMANDU: As many as 2,575 voters of Tingla in Solukhumbu boycotted elections on Sunday due to non-fulfilment of their demand of merging Tingla into Solududhkund Municipality.

According to CPN-MC leader Gopal Kirati, residents of Tingla can reach the centre of Solududhkunda Municipality within 20 minutes but they have to trek eight hours to reach the centre of Necha Salyan Rural Municipality, of which Tingla is part. The demands of Tingla residents should be addressed by the central government, Chief District Officer of Solukhumbu Bhupendra Thapa told THT over phone. The government had set up five polling centres in the area. “We had made all arrangements but no voter came to cast vote. Our staff returned to their offices after 5:00pm,” he told THT over phone.

Local leaders of the Nepali Congress, the CPN-MC and the CPN-UML are one in demanding that Tingla be merged into Solududhkund Municipality, said CPN-MC leader Gopal Kirati.