Top parties propose taskforce

A meeting between the big three parties and the Madhesi Front in Baluwatar on Sunday night. Photo: RSS

The big three parties have proposed an all-party taskforce to address Madhesi demands and end the current political crisis.

In a meeting with the Madhesi Morcha on Sunday night, the ruling UML-UCPN (M) and the main opposition NC asked the agitating parties to call off protests and press for a package deal on their demands through this taskforce.

The taskforce will have one member from each of the top three parties and two members from the Morcha, according to the UCPN (M) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Dahal had met India's ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae on Sunday. He later held a meeting with Prime Minister and UML Chair KP Oli and NC President Sushil Koirala. The top three leaders then agreed to form an all-party taskforce to persuade Madhesi parties to call off their protests.

Leaders of the major parties claimed that the Morcha was 'positive about forming a taskforce' and 'sought more time to discuss their proposal'. However, some Madhesi leaders said forming a taskforce would be meaningless.

After Sunday's meeting, Madhesi leader Hridayesh Tripathi told journalists that the top three parties were not 'serious to end the prolonged political impasse'. He even warned of intensifying protests in the Tarai.

Although the meeting was attended by the top leaders of the top parties, the Morcha had sent only one of its top four leaders, Mahant Thakur, to participate in it. While Upendra Yadav and Mahendra Ray are outside Kathmandu, Rajendra Mahato is in Delhi for treatment.

Mahato has refused to sit in talks unless the government apologises for an attack on him. He was beaten up by police in Biratnagar last week when he tried to block Nepal-India border.

The Morcha has been agitating against Nepal's new constitution for the last five months.