Nepali Congress, CPN(UML) agree to ally, share power
10 Dec 2013 4:58 AM IST
The Joint Madhesi Democratic Front, the grouping of three ethnic Indian Madheshi parties with a combined strength 83 seats in the 601 member Parliament, agreed ‘in principle’ to support a coalition led by the 54-year-old communist leader Nepal.
At a meeting of 18 parties held at Singha Durbar on Tuesday, the Madhesi front - Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF), Terai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) and Sadbhawana Party (SP) - extended support to a CPN-UML-led coalition but said they would finalise on Sunday whether to join the government.
The Madhesi parties decided to back the CPN-UML-led coalition after the CPN-UML, the third largest party in the Constituent Assembly and the main opposition party Nepali Congress, gave a written commitment to address the demands of the Madhesi parties for more economic and political powers, including greater federal autonomy for the Terai plains bordering India.
The letter, undersigned by communist party chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and Nepali Congress acting President Sushil Koirala, stated that the parties are ready to address the eight-point agreement reached between the government and the Madhesi parties in the past, myrepublica online said on Wednesday.
Nepal’s Terai lowlands are home to about half of the country’s 27 million people, and the residents of the region, known as Madhesis, have long complained of discrimination by the Himalayan nation’s hill communities.
The pro-Terai parties argue that people in the Madhesi-dominated southern Terai region have long been treated as second-class citizens in Nepal, where hill-origin elites dominate politics, the security forces and business.
‘The Madhesi leaders had minor differences on the draft. We will resolve the contentious issues by tomorrow (Wednesday),’ Nepali Congress and UML leaders said, after a series of meetings with the Terai-based parties.
Senior communist leader K P Sharma Oli said the new government would be formed within a couple of days.
‘The talks with Madhesi leaders are likely to conclude tomorrow (Wednesday),’ Oli was quoted as saying by The Himalayan Times newspaper.
The report said most of the smaller parties in the Constituent Assembly on Sunday expressed their commitment to support Nepal as the new Prime Minister.
‘More than 14 parties, including CPN-ML, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Rastriya Janashakti Party and Rastriya Janamorcha, expressed their commitment to support Nepal,’ Nepali Congress vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel said.
The Madhesi leaders, however, said the implementation of the eight-point pact signed with the earlier G P Koirala-led interim government was a pre-condition to join the government.
‘We are holding discussions with the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML leaders on the issue,’ MJF co-chairperson JP Gupta said.
He said amendment in constitution was needed to address some of their demands. Though the CPN-UML leader Nepal was defeated from both Kathmandu and Rautahat constituencies during last year’s Constituent Assembly polls, he has emerged as the favorite for the top post as the country’s constitutional crisis deepened with the resignation of premier Prachanda.
At a meeting of 18 parties held at Singha Durbar on Tuesday, the Madhesi front - Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF), Terai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) and Sadbhawana Party (SP) - extended support to a CPN-UML-led coalition but said they would finalise on Sunday whether to join the government.
The Madhesi parties decided to back the CPN-UML-led coalition after the CPN-UML, the third largest party in the Constituent Assembly and the main opposition party Nepali Congress, gave a written commitment to address the demands of the Madhesi parties for more economic and political powers, including greater federal autonomy for the Terai plains bordering India.
The letter, undersigned by communist party chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and Nepali Congress acting President Sushil Koirala, stated that the parties are ready to address the eight-point agreement reached between the government and the Madhesi parties in the past, myrepublica online said on Wednesday.
Nepal’s Terai lowlands are home to about half of the country’s 27 million people, and the residents of the region, known as Madhesis, have long complained of discrimination by the Himalayan nation’s hill communities.
The pro-Terai parties argue that people in the Madhesi-dominated southern Terai region have long been treated as second-class citizens in Nepal, where hill-origin elites dominate politics, the security forces and business.
‘The Madhesi leaders had minor differences on the draft. We will resolve the contentious issues by tomorrow (Wednesday),’ Nepali Congress and UML leaders said, after a series of meetings with the Terai-based parties.
Senior communist leader K P Sharma Oli said the new government would be formed within a couple of days.
‘The talks with Madhesi leaders are likely to conclude tomorrow (Wednesday),’ Oli was quoted as saying by The Himalayan Times newspaper.
The report said most of the smaller parties in the Constituent Assembly on Sunday expressed their commitment to support Nepal as the new Prime Minister.
‘More than 14 parties, including CPN-ML, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Rastriya Janashakti Party and Rastriya Janamorcha, expressed their commitment to support Nepal,’ Nepali Congress vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel said.
The Madhesi leaders, however, said the implementation of the eight-point pact signed with the earlier G P Koirala-led interim government was a pre-condition to join the government.
‘We are holding discussions with the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML leaders on the issue,’ MJF co-chairperson JP Gupta said.
He said amendment in constitution was needed to address some of their demands. Though the CPN-UML leader Nepal was defeated from both Kathmandu and Rautahat constituencies during last year’s Constituent Assembly polls, he has emerged as the favorite for the top post as the country’s constitutional crisis deepened with the resignation of premier Prachanda.
Next Story
