Madhesi leader on fast-unto-death to fix Nepal poll date

A senior Madhesi leader in Nepal has resorted to fast-unto-death to pressurise the election government for an early announcement of Constituent Assembly election date, claiming anti-federalist forces might delay the poll for their own vested interests.
Madhesi leader and Sadbhawana Party president Rajendra Mahato began his fast yesterday after talks between the election government led by Khil Raj Regmi and his party over the latter's 10-point demand failed.
"After launching agitation in all 22 districts in the Terai, the southern plains of Nepal, for the past three weeks, I am compelled to start fast-unto-death for early announcement of the poll date to ensure rights of the people leaving in the Terai region including federalism in the new constitution," Mahato told PTI here today.

He called off seven-day long fast-unto-death in 22 districts on Sunday after the government assured to address his party's demands.
Former Health Minister Mahato is the senior leader in the Joint Democratic Madhesi Front, a five-party grouping that is campaigning for ethnic identity-based federalism in the new constitution.
"Delayed polls can dilute federalism and can make the constitution writing process uncertain. Madhesis and the marginalised need a new constitution and federalism more than anybody else'" he said.
Those who are against federalism and providing rights to the marginalised community, including the Madhesis, are trying to prolong this transitional period and obstructing the process of writing the new constitution, he alleged.

"If polls are delayed' we might see a repeat of 1950 when the government kept on changing and CA polls were never held'" he said' adding that anti-federalist forces might delay the poll so as to write a new constitution through a commission.