BackNepal parties, Madhesis meet to end political crisis
The meeting is expected to find a way out of the political stalemate in Nepal
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Kathmandu: The top leaders of Nepal’s three major political parties, including Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, on Sunday met the agitating Madhesi Front in a bid to end the political crisis in the country over a new constitution.
The ruling coalition comprising CPN-UML (Communist Party of Nepal) and UCPN-Maoist (Unified Communist Party of Nepal) held talks with main opposition Nepali Congress and the agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) at the prime minister’s residence in Kathmandu.
They discussed issues relating to the agitation by Madhesis, largely of Indian-origin, border blockade and constitution amendment bill tabled in parliament.
The meeting is expected to find a way out of the current political stalemate in the country, people familiar with the matter said. On behalf of the three major parties, Prime Minister Oli, Nepali Congress president Sushil Koirala and UCPN-Maoist chairman Prachanda participated in the meeting.
Mahanta Thakur, president of Terai Madhes Democratic Party; Upendra Yadav, president of Madhesi Peoples Rights Forum Nepal, and Mahendra Raya, president of Terai Madhes Sadbhawana Party were also present at the meeting.
They represent the UDMF that has been carrying out an agitation in southern Nepal districts for the past four months, protesting against the new constitution that divides the country into seven federal provinces.
Life in the southern Nepal plains has been seriously affected by the protests against the country’s new constitution that was adopted by the constituent assembly on 20 September.
So far, over 50 people have died during the Madhesi-Tharu agitation launched by the marginalized groups in the country. However, Sadbhawana Party, one of the members of the four-party alliance, did not take part in the meeting. Sadbhawana Party president Rajendrra Mahato, who was injured during police action in Biratnagar last week, is at present undergoing treatment in New Dehli. PTI
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