Madhesi parties and the Maoist form alliance

Nepal's main opposition party UCPN (Maoist) and six Madhesi parties today formed an alliance to push for their demand of identity-based federalism.
Prachanda-led UCPN (Maoist), Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (Loktantrik), Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Nepal, Tarai Madhes Loktrantrik Party, Sadhbhawana Party, Federal Socialist Party and Tarai Madhes Sadhbhawana Party announced the formation of the federal republic alliance here at a function.
The purpose of the alliance is to press the big parties - Nepali Congress and CPN-UML- to embrace the peoples aspirations for change manifested through the Peoples Movement of 2006 and Madhes movement launched on various occasions in the past, said Sadbhawana Party president Rajendra Mahato.

"We want to incorporate the spirit of various political movements while drafting a new constitution," Mahato told PTI shortly after announcing the alliance.
"We want to push for ethnic identity based federalism and incorporate a federal, democratic republic system in the new constitution," he said.
"We all want a new constitution that ensures a progressive restructuring of the state," said the UCPN (Maoist) leader Agni Sapkota.

These parties had formed a similar coalition in 2011 during the UCPN (Maoist) led government, when Baburam Bhattarai was the prime minister.
However, the alliance broke before the second Constituent assembly election of November 2013 after the Madhes-based parties refused to form an electoral alliance with UCPN (Maoist).

"We firmly believe that only the unity among pro-federalism and progressive parties can incorporate the agendas of change in the new constitution," Mahato said.
"We will exert pressure on the government to accomplish the task of drafting the constitution within the stipulated time of six months period," he added.