Deadlock in Nepal persists, talks end inconclusively

The stalemate over Nepal's new Constitution continued with talks between the government and the Madhesi Front ending inconclusively for a second day today as both sides refused to budge from their stance.
Talks between government representatives and the Madhesi Front ended inconclusively after both sides stuck to their demands while main opposition Nepali Congress did not participate in the meeting.
"Nepali Congress did not participate in the talks as the party had preferred to hold talks with senior Madhesi leaders before taking part in the tripartite meeting between the government, the front and the Nepali Congress," said Prakash Man Singh, the party's general secretary.

Nepali Congress president Sushil Koirala held talks with Mahantha Thakur, president of Terai Madhes Democratic Party, on issues relating to the ongoing political crisis facing the country and to break the deadlock.
Nepal is reeling under severe scarcity of essential goods due to a blockade of border points as a result of the protests by Madhesis, Indian-origin inhabitants of Nepal's Terai region, over division of their ancestral homeland in the new Constitution.
Hectic political consultations are being held between major political parties in Nepal after the Joint Democratic Madhesi Front leaders returned from India where they held consultations with leaders of the ruling and opposition parties regarding the ongoing crisis in Nepal.

The Madhesi leaders, who were protesting against the new Constitution that divides the country into seven provinces, met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and other senior leaders in India during their four-day visit.

Today's Parliament meeting was deferred at the request of the Nepali Congress and the next meeting of the Parliament is scheduled for Sunday.
Yesterday's Parliament meeting was obstructed by Nepali Congress after the government tried to table a bill relating to formation of Reconstruction Authority for rebuilding the earthquake destroyed structures.
The party has demanded that the Reconstruction Authority bill and bill on the Constitution Amendment be presented simultaneously.

(Reopens FGN 35)
The Constitution Amendment Bill, presented by the previous Sushil Koirala-led government, deals with the inclusion of the provision related to proportionate representation and allocation of Parliament seats on the basis of population, which are the two key demands put forward by the agitating Madhesi parties.
Meanwhile, Madhesi lawmakers belonging to ruling alliances CPN-UML, Unified CPN-Maoist and main opposition Nepali Congress were invited for a luncheon at the Embassy of India in Kathmandu today.
The informal discussion over lunch at the embassy was mainly centered around the ongoing crisis in Nepal and the latest political developments in the country, according to a Nepali Congress leader.