Nepal parties, Madhesi front to form task force to end crisis

Nepal's three major political parties and Madhesi front today decided to form a task force to find a common ground on demands put forth by the agitating group in a bid to end the ongoing political crisis in the country over the new Constitution.

Nepal's ruling coalition -- CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist, the main opposition Nepali Congress and the agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) held talks at prime minister's official residence here.

The meeting ended with a positive note, sources said.

"They decided to form a task force to find common ground regarding the 11-point demands submitted by the agitating Madhesi parties," according to Nepali Congress general secretary Prakash Man Singh, who was also present during the meeting.

The task force representing all three sides, the government, main opposition and the Madhesi Front will try to find common ground in issues relating to provincial boundary demarcation, citizenship certificate issue, proportionate representatives and allotment of parliament seat on the basis of population.

They have also agreed to continue their meeting to resolve the issue at the earliest.

On behalf of the three major parties, Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, Nepali Congress president Sushil Koirala and nd UCPN-Maoist chairman Prachanda participated in the meeting.

Mahanta Thakur, president of Terai Madhes Democratic Party, Upendra Yadav, president of Madhesi Peoples Rights Forum Nepal and Mahendra Raya, president of Terai Madhes Sadbhawana Party were also present at the meeting.

Today's meeting took place after Indian Ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae called on UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Prachanda at latter's residence this afternoon.

Prachanda urged the envoy to end blockade as soon as possible. He said that the border blockade imposed by India for the past few months would hamper the friendly relations between the two countries, Kathmandu Post reported.

In return, Ambassador Rae said India is for early solution of crisis Nepal is currently facing.

Life in the southern Nepal plains have been seriously affected by the protests against the country's new Constitution that was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on September 20.

So far, over 50 people have died during the Madhesi-Tharu agitation launched by the marginalised groups of the country.

However, Sadbhawana Party, one of the members of the four party alliance, did not take part in today's meeting.

Sadbhawana Party president Rajendra Mahato, who was injured during baton charging by police in Biratnagar last week, is currently undergoing treatment in New Dehli.