KATHMANDU: The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) has intensified its protest campaign, accusing the government of pursuing political vendetta and announcing a phased nationwide agitation from ward to central level.

Following a Secretariat meeting on Tuesday, General Secretary Shankar Pokharel said the party would wage both political and legal battles against what it described as retaliatory actions by the government.

The Party’s stance has hardened after the arrest of former prime minister K. P. Sharma Oli and former home minister Ramesh Lekhak, a move that has pushed UML into a more aggressive posture.

Recasting its protest strategy, the party has shifted from standard demonstrations to broader mass mobilization efforts, including gatherings, public outreach and rallies. Under the new plan, UML will begin with district-level cadre meetings and training on April 8, followed by protests across all local levels on April 11. The campaign will expand to ward-level gatherings nationwide on April 16, escalate to province-level demonstrations on April 20, and culminate in a major protest rally in Kathmandu on April 24.