Strike affects poll preparations in Nepal

Normal life across Nepal has come to a standstill due to the strike called by the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M)-led 33-party alliance protesting the Nov 19 Constituent Assembly (CA) elections, police said Monday.

The transport system has been completely disrupted and markets, shops, schools, colleges and universities are closed. Police have arrested dozens of strike enforcers from different parts of the country, Xinhua reported.

The CPN-M, a breakaway faction of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M), is demanding postponement of the elections.

The alliance called a general strike Monday and a transport strike for another nine days till the election. The CPN-M believes the strike will force the government and political parties to postpone the elections that are taking place without its participation.

Security in Kathmandu valley and other parts of the country has been tightened with heavy deployment of security personnel on the streets.

Security agencies have been asked to pick up CPN-M cadres from the streets with the strike affecting preparations for the elections, said officials.