The indications are that Jha, who filed two petitions last week challenging the Supreme Court verdict that is calling his Hindi oath unconstitutional, will neither attend the oath-taking ceremony today nor resign.

Instead, he is expected to go on leave indefinitely and wage a legal battle in retaliation.

Meanwhile, Nepal's Hindi parties, which last year helped Jha win the vice-presidential election, went on the warpath in the Terai, clamping a general strike since Saturday to protest against the Supreme Court verdict as well as the government endorsement of it.

Protests have also begun in the capital.

In view of the unrest, police said they had tightened security around Jha's house after two failed attempts to bomb it.

At least one man has been arrested in a massive manhunt launched in the capital and Terai since a bomb exploded Friday near Jha's residence in Kathmandu, injuring a woman.

An armed group involved in extortion, the Kirat Janawadi Workers Party, had claimed responsibility for the blast.

A central committee member of the outfit, Ajay Rai, has been arrested from Itahari town in Terai's Sunsari district Saturday night, police said.