Madhesis ask Nepal PM Oli to choose between talks, protest

The agitating Madhesi-based parties has asked Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli-led government should in order to avoid any further crisis choose between meaningful talks at the earliest or be ready to face protest.

The statement comes a day after the Madhesi parties and Janajati forces joint alliance announced that they would launch nationwide protests.

Leaders affiliated to the Sanghiya Gathabandan, an alliance forged by the Madhesi parties and Janajati forces, demanded political solution to the Tarai crisis through talks.

"We are still looking forward to talks to resolve the contentious issues of the Constitution. We have kept protests as our last option," the Kathmandu Post quoted Samajbadi Forum Nepal Secretary Parshu Ram Basnet as saying.

He also clarified that the agitating parties were not against talks as alleged by the ruling parties.

The Sanghiya Gathabandan allies yesterday held a meeting to devise their protest programmes as they plan to launch their protest at the end of this month.

Since February 18, there have been no talks between the Madhesi-based parties and the government.

Oli and his party CPN-UML had last week made separate appeals to the agitating parties to return to the negotiating table, but they refused to heed to calls questioning the government's sincerity.

Despite first amendment to the Nepal's new Constitution on January 23, the partial issues remain unresolved including revision of the federal boundaries, which is one of the key demands of the Madhesi-based parties.