The indefinite bandh (shutdown strike) in the far-western region continued for the tenth day on Sunday with the demand for" undivided far west" despite the joint call made by the three big parties to opt for negotiated solution.

The locals continued the bandh even as the struggle committee, which comprises representatives of different groups including political parties, announced the withdrawal of the bandh. However, participation of the local political leaders and cadres is very low today in view of the joint call made by UCPN (Maoist) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Nepali Congress president Sushil Koirala and UML chairman Jhala Nath Khanal, stating that they were serious about the demands of the committee and urged the protesters to stop the bandh.

The leaders also urged the committee and other groups to opt for negotiations on their demands concerning the restructuring of the state.

Normal life has come to a grinding halt in the far west due to the bandh. Even flights to Dhangadhi's Geta airport remain cancelled for days with the protesters placing locks at the entrance of the airport.

While 22 lawmakers from the region, mostly of them representing the ethnic communities, have opposed the demand for '"undivided far-west", a number of prominent leaders including Sher Bahadur Deuba of Nepali Congress, Bhim Rawal of UML and Lekh Raj Bhatta of the UCPN (M) had actively supported the demand. nepalnews.com