The All Nepal National Independent Students' Union (ANNFSU), close to the CPN-UML, staged a demonstration at Buddhachowk in Hetauda against the divisive ordinance to split the political parties. The protest was staged by ANNFSU's Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan Committee on August 18. On the recommendation of the Council of Ministers, President Bhandari had issued an ordinance to amend the Political Parties Act on August 18. Earlier, the cabinet meeting held on August 17 decided to recommend to the President to issue an ordinance on party split.

The newly passed ordinance allows a split in a political party with the support of just 20 percent of central committee members or parliamentary party members. Earlier, the Political Parties Act had a provision that any group can register as a new party if it can show it has the support of 40 percent members of the central committee and the parliamentary party. If both, the central committee and the parliamentary parties could not get 40 percent members, the office-bearers or MPs who separated from any party could lose their posts.