UML Chair Oli calls on parties to shun unhealthy election competition

Kathmandu, Oct. 5: CPN (UML) chairperson KP Sharma Oli has urged the political parties to embrace healthy electoral competition. 

The former prime minister expressed this while addressing a programme organized at Bitamod here on Tuesday. The programme was held to exchange best wishes in the context of festivals as Bada Dashain, Nepal Sambat, Tihar and Chhath. 

On the occasion, Oli said that unhealthy contest could not be a democratic exercise. "The political system that we have introduced after a long struggle is itself the multi-party competition. If the competition is not healthy that would not be considered a democratic polity," he asserted. 

The UML chairperson called for unity among the political parties on keeping intact the national unity and the dignity of multi-party competition.

Highlighting on the cultural, social and religious importance of Dashain festival, he said there was no such festival anywhere else in which blessings are taken from elders, the women's power is worshipped and which gives the message of victory of truth and good over evil and falsehood.

The UML chair has been organizing festival greetings exchange programme on the occasion of Mahanawami, the ninth day of the 15-day-long Bada Dashain festival in his home district Jhapa since the last 28 years. 

Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) chairman Rajendra Lingden, Nepali Congress Jhapa district committee secretary Krishna Humagain, CPN (Maoist Centre) youth leader Ranjit Tamang, Janata Samajbadi Party Jhapa district president Dipen Bala Rai, among the leaders of various political parties, UML district leaders, industrialists and people from various professions were present on the occasion. (RSS)