( dpa ) - An election candidate was stabbed while more than three dozen political activists were hurt in separate incidents of election related violence across Nepal, media reports said Friday.
A communist candidate was in serious condition after the rebels of Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM) attacked him in the restive southern plains known as Terai.
"Election candidate Ashok Kumar Yadav representing Communist Party of Nepal - United Marxist sustained serious injuries to back and chest after he was stabbed by the rebel group," the Kathmadu Post reported.
The attack happened in Rajbiraj town, about 450 kilometres east of the Nepalese capital on Thursday.
Rajbiraj was the centre of anti-government violence in February demanding greater political representation for the ethnic Madhesi community.
The motive for the attack was not immediately clear, however, JTMM says it opposes the election in April to choose a constituent assembly.
The group has also called on candidates in southern Nepal to withdraw their nominations.
More than three dozen political activists of the moderate Communist Party of Nepal - Unified Marxist Leninists (CPN-UML), were injured in clashes with its rivals the Maoist former rebels.
"At least 36 CPN-UML cadres were injured after the Maoist-aligned Young Communist League cadres attacked election campaign programmes in two districts in central and south-western Nepal," the daily Nepal Samacharpatra said.
The clash between CPN-UML and the Maoists was the latest in the series of clashes between the two largest communist parties in Nepal.
Both are members of Nepal's coalition government but have been involved in intense war of words over each others' past activities.
At least three people including an election candidate have been killed in the election related violence since the beginning of this week.
Nepal goes to the polls to choose a constituent assembly on April 10. The assembly will be tasked with writing Nepal's new constitution and ratify the parliament's decision to abolish monarchy.