Since May, the three members of the Election Commission have been poring over files trying to decide which faction of the Nepali Congress gets the tree symbol and the party flag. Multi-partisan pressure is building on the EC to get on with it. On Wednesday, a meeting of ten opposition parties told the commission that they were tired of waiting. There are hints of disagreement between the three commissioners with the chief Achuyt Narayan Rajbhandari said to be tilting towards the Deuba faction and commissioner Ramesh Jung Thapa favouring Koirala. The wildcard commissioner is Biswaman Shrestha, whose allegiances are said to lie with the RPP.

The argument that the tree may actually be a liability for candidates doesn't seem to bother rival kangresis who are using psy-war tactics to put pressure on the commissioners. There have been "leaks" to the press, and threats of a poll boycott. Elections are less than three months away, and the EC needs to select 205 election officers, decide on how to phase the elections, and agree on voting booths and polling officials. The key factor in all this, of course, is security. Officials told us a decision is expected by the "end of next week".