National
Govt, Morcha begin formal negotiations
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has begun formal negotiations with the Madhesi and Janajati parties in a bid to resolve the row over major disputed issues of the constitution including a revision to the federal boundaries.Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has begun formal negotiations with the Madhesi and Janajati parties in a bid to resolve the row over major disputed issues of the constitution including a revision to the federal boundaries.
The meeting on Sunday, however, ended inclusively after the governing Nepali Congress and the CPN (Maoist Centre) failed to put forward a concrete proposal on state restructuring. The PM also stressed the need to take the main opposition CPN-UML on board before tabling an amendment proposal.
According to leaders present in the meeting, PM Dahal proposed to carve another province from Nawalparasi to Bardiya in the western plains. But he failed to offer a concrete proposal for the so-called five disputed districts: Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Kailali and Kanchanpur.
“The NC and the Maoist leaderships want a discussion with the UML brass before forwarding a concrete proposal for resolving the dispute over the five districts, the major bone of contention. But we are close to an understanding on issues related to representation of Madhes in the Upper House, citizenship and the working language of the provinces,” said a Madhesi leader.
The Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha has been demanding two provinces in the Tarai—one between Jhapa and Parsa in the East and another between Chitwan and Kanchanpur in the West.
Sadbhawana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato had told the Post on Saturday that the five districts should be divided between the hills and the plains to resolve the row over boundaries.
“The three parties are spreading lies that the people of the areas are against revision. We cannot accept a change unless these districts are shared between the hills and the plains,” said Mahato.