Nepal, Oct. 16 -- Major political parties are holding off on their traditional central-level tea receptions and greetings exchange programmes for Dashain, Tihar and Chhath this year amid widespread loss of lives and property caused by floods and landslides across the country.

The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML and Nepali Communist Party (NCP) have indicated that they will not hold formal celebrations at the central level, although some have yet to make formal decisions.

RSP spokesperson Jagdish Kharel said the party had not decided on a central-level tea reception as of Friday. However, provincial and district-level units have not been barred from organizing such programmes.

NC former spokesperson Devara...