District-based political leaders on Thursday took command of the ongoing protests in Surkhet district against the proposed provincial map. Local leaders staged peace rallies carrying their respective party flags in Birendranagar, the district headquarters, five days after locals had launched protests. Although the parties have agreed on Surkhet district as the capital of the proposed province-5, they have failed to reach consensus on the provincial boundary. The FNCCI Surkhet chapter had been mediating the meeting between parties since the last three days but they have yet to forge a common stance on the provincial boundary. Meanwhile, district-level party leaders have instructed their party cadres not to participate in the protests. "Ongoing protests have resulted in loss of lives and properties. We won't own protests carried out without our leadership," said Upendra Thapa, acting chairperson of Nepali Congress, Surkhet. On Monday, two local protestors were shot dead and 50 others injured during police action after protests against the proposed provincial boundaries turned violent in the district. Locals have been staging protests demanding that the mid-west region should be left intact and Surkhet developed as the capital of the proposed province.