By Our Correspondent
Taulihawa, Mar. 18: Minister for Home Affairs Bal Krishna Khand has said that the local election will be held on the slated date of May 13.
Speaking at a function organised by Nepali Congress Banganga Municipality Committee here on Thursday, Minister Khand said that the government was effortful to hold the local elections in a free, fair and fearless manner.

“We are confident that the local elections will be held in the cooperation of all political parties,” he said. He also urged the political parties which have not joined mainstream politics to participate in the election.
He said as Nepal is a multilingual, multicultural, multiethnic and multireligious country, these diversities should be kept in the centre of unity.

He said Nepali Congress would not compromise on key issues of nationality, democracy, socialism, people’s right, human rights and press freedom, among others. “If Nepali Congress becomes stronger, democracy will be strengthened in Nepal, if Nepali Congress becomes weak, democracy will be at risk,” he said.
Stating that Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), the US grant, is a purely development project, Home Minister Khand said that US Army will not come to Nepal simply by implementing this.
He said as Nepal is committed to its non-aligned foreign policy, no country should doubt about our foreign policy.

Earlier, speaking in Rupandehi, Minister Khand said that ruling Nepali Congress was committed to maintaining the coalition government.
Speaking at a function organised by Nepali Congress Province Assembly Regional Working Committee Constituency No. 3 ‘B’ in Rupandehi, Home Minister Khand said that the party wanted to move ahead by maintaining the political alliance in the country.
As the date of local elections is coming near, Home Minister Khand, who is also an influential leader of the Nepali Congress, said that the Congress should win the local elections for the development of villages and towns at the local level.

“‘Congress must win the local elections for the development of villages and towns down to the grassroots level and for peace and stability in the country,” Minister Khand said.
He said that MCC, the US government’s grant to Nepal, was in the interest of the people and in the interest of the people of the country.

He said that MCC Nepal has agreed to make necessary transmission of electricity which is generated from our own river and canals to people’s homes.
He said that the MCC would help the country to cope with the challenging economic situation.

He urged to use electrical goods to offset the impact of the rising prices of petroleum products and imports.
He said that the MCC was passed by the House to increase power generation.

Home Minister Khand said that the grant from MCC would help alleviate poverty of the Nepali people.
Minister Khand also inaugurated the 12th Kapilvastu Festival at Jitpur of Banganga in Kapilvastu today.