Over 150 arrested in Nepal during nationwide strike by rival NCP faction

A total of 157 cadres affiliated to the ruling Nepal Communist Party's rival faction has been arrested in Nepal on Thursday during their nationwide strike against Parliament dissolution, security officials confirmed.

According to the Nepal police record, 11 incidents of vandalism have been confirmed throughout the nation as the splinter group led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhav Kumar Nepal called for a nationwide strike.

"At least 157 people trying to enforce strike have been arrested. Of them, 80 have been arrested from Kathmandu Valley alone, while the remaining 77 are arrested from outside Valley," Senior Superintendent of Police, Basanta Kunwar, spokesperson for Nepal Police, told .

"We have reported such incidents till 3 PM (local time), the final toll of arrested and other incidents will be known by late evening," Kunwar added.

The general strike was called by the rival faction of the ruling NCP led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhav Kumar Nepal against Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's decision to dissolve the Parliament.

The rival faction is also protesting against the government's move to administer the oath of office and secrecy to newly appointed members of various constitutional bodies.

With the splinter group calling for a strike on Thursday, security was beefed up throughout the nation. The agitating groups, stationed in various major locations throughout the capital and valley staged protests and blocked the road throughout the day.

"As (now caretaker) Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli dissolved the parliament we believe that his action was completely unconstitutional. There is no such provisions in the constitution regarding the dissolution of parliament," Naresh Regmi, one of the cadres who took part in the protest at Ratnapark of Kathmandu told .

"We are against such move and we demand the reinstatement of parliament which is the main motive of our protest," Naresh Regmi added.

Meanwhile, the decision of dissolution of Parliament is being challenged in court with over a dozen cases filed in Nepal's Supreme Court whose verdicts are expected by the end of this month.

This comes after the rival faction of the ruling NCP party removed Oli from the party, amid increasing political unrest following his decision to dissolve the lower house of the Parliament.

Meanwhile, after dissolving the Parliament, the PM also proposed elections on April 30 and May 10, 2021.

( With inputs from ANI )