The Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik has said it will withdraw its support to the Pushpa Kamal Dahal government if its demands are not met within seven days. 

The decision comes amid talks about the party joining the government. 

A two-day meeting of the party, which concluded on Wednesday in the Capital, decided to withdraw support to the government if its demands related to “Tharuhat Madhes” are not addressed, according to MJF-L leader Ram Janam Chaudhary. 

Chaudhary said the government failed to make any move on an amendment proposal registered by the party seeking changes in the constitution amendment bill. The MJF-L has sought a total revision of the statute amendment bill. The party has also demanded revision in the number of clusters entitled to protection from the state in Article 42 and change in the criteria for the delineation of electoral constituencies as envisioned in Article 84. 

“We are against the provision in Article 42 which calls for reservation to 17 clusters against seven in the Interim Constitution,” he said. “We want to retain the seven clusters from the Interim Constitution and add two more (Tharu and Muslim) groups.” The  party has also sought to allocate constituencies based on population from respective states, keeping in mind representation from the rural Hill areas.

Chaudhary said the government has also failed to compensate hundreds of their carders injured in various movements while some of its carders have been facing fabricated charges.

Asked why the ultimatum to the government at this point of time, Yogendra Chaudhary, another MJF-L leader, said, “It has been eight months since this government was formed; and none of our demands, including those related to our cadres, have been met. There is no point being in the government if our demands are not met.”

MJF-L Chairman Bijay Kumar Gachhadar alleged that the government was shying away from taking any decision on issues raised by his party. 

The party has 14 members in Parliament. 

Earlier, the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha, an alliance of seven Madhes-based parties, had pulled support for the Pushpa Kamal Dahal government in the second week of March, saying the government failed to address its demand of constitution amendment.

Leaders of these parties maintain that their moves of withdrawing support are not meant at putting the government in crisis; the decisions were rather taken to put moral pressure on it.