Parties wrap up campaigns, 'silent hour' begins midnight

KATHMANDU, NOV 16 - The 122 political parties contesting the November 19 polls have completed their final campaigns with the Election Commission's ' silent hour ' kicking this midnight.

As the contesting parties, in their largest number ever in Nepal's eletion history, make their final poll pitch on Saturday, the country witnessed a spectacle of huge number of political rallies concentrating in the major cities and towns, with an obvious rise in the number of clashes amonst the rival parties.

In their final election rallies, top leaders of the major political parties claimed that their victory is certain. UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who had a hectic day travelling three Eastern districts in a helicopter, said his party would win this time by a two-thirds majority.

Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala rushed to Surkhet for his final campaign where he claimed that he witnessed a "wave of support" for his party.

While UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal was in Ilam to address a mass rally, senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal went to Kirtipur to throw his weight behind his party candidate Surendra Manandhar who faces Dahal in Kathmandu-10.

Later in the day, the Election Commission (EC) announced that the "days of election silence" would start at midnight. The silent days of elections are meant to allow the voters a peace of mind to decide on their votes, the EC said.  

"Once the silent hour comes into effect, the political parties, candidates and their representatives are strictly banned from campaigning," said Commissioner Ayodhi Prasad Yadav.

The election code prohibits taking out election rallies, sloganeering, exhibition of party flags, election symbols and other materials 48 hours before the voting starts. The code also states that even the mass media should not publish and broadcast information or news that would promote any political party or candidate during that period.