Nepal parties, Madhesis meet to end political crisis

The top leaders of Nepal's three major political parties, including Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, today met with agitating Madhesi front in a bid to end the current political crisis in the country over the new Constitution.
Ruling coalition - CPN-UML and UCPN-Maoist -- the main opposition Nepali Congress and the agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) held talks at Prime Minister's official residence here.
They discussed issues relating to agitation by Madhesis --- largely of Indian-origin, border blockade and Constitution amendment bill tabled in Parliament.
The meeting is expected to find a way out of the current political stalemate in the country, sources said.

On behalf of the three major parties, Prime Minister Oli, Nepali Congress president Sushil Koirala and 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.

They represent the United Democratic Madhesi Front that has been launching agitation in the southern Nepal districts for the past four months protesting against the new constitution that divides the country into seven federal provinces.
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 allianes, did not take part in the meeting.
Sadbhawana Party president Rajendrra Mahato, who was injured during baton charging by police in Biratnagar last week, is currently undergoing treatment in New Dehli.