Kathmandu, Mar. 29:  Nine left parties have called off their nation-wide protest scheduled for April 4.

A decision to this effect was taken at their Tuesday’s meeting chaired by Rajendra Shrestha of CPN-ML.

The April 4 nation-wide protest has been called off in view of the adverse impact the Nepal bandh call by the Maoist that day will have on their programme, says a joint press communiqué of the nine left parties, voicing strong objection to that kind of act on the part of the Maoists.

The joint communiqué  was signed by Rajendra Shrestha of CPN-ML, Krishna Das Shrestha of CPN-MLM, Hemanta B.C. of CPN-United, Buddi Kumar Gosai of NWPP, Bhakta Bahadur Shrestha of   RJSS, Amik Sherchan of Samyukta Jana Morcha, Nara Bahadur Karmacharya of CPN-Unity centre, Mohan Bikram Singh of CPN-Masal and Prabhu Naryan Chaudhary of CPN-Marxist.

Meanwhile in Rajbiraj, Saptari District Development Committee members has called an indefinite relay hunger strike on the premises of the district administration since Tuesday, protesting against what they call rampant corruption at the district development committee.

Earlier, the protesters, seven DDC members, had demanded that a probe be made into corruption at the district development committee and the guilty be brought to book by March 24. They called relay hunger strike as their demand went unheeded, says a memorandum handed to the district administration.

In this context, chief district officer Balkrishna Prasai said that investigation process was already underway regarding four of the demands even before the memo was handed over, while efforts were also under for probe   regarding two other demands.