Nepal's major three party leaders meet Madhesi leaders

Nepal's agitating Madhesis today held talks with the three big political parties for the first time after the parliament endorsed the Constitution, resuming the dialogue process that was stalled after their failure to sort out the contentious issue of border demarcation.
Representatives of United Democratic Madhesi Front met top leaders of ruling CPN-UML and UCPN-MAOIST and main opposition Nepali Congress at the Parliament secretariat here at the initiative of former prime minister Prachanda, who is also the chairman of the High Level Political Committee.
No formal meeting had taken place between the three major parties and the Madhesi front since the first amendment of Constitution on January 23.

The front had rejected the amendment to the Constitution, saying that it had failed to address their issues.
During the meeting, the leaders agreed to reactivate the all party taskforce formed few months ago to resolve the issue.
"We will explore an agreement so as to reach a conclusion and the taskforce will bring a proposal for the same," UCPN-MAOIST Chairman Prachanda said.

The major parties criticised the Madhesi Front for trying to disrupt the 13th general convention of the Nepali Congress which is holding preliminary meetings in the southern Nepal districts to elect its representatives.
The front leaders admitted that it was the mistake committed by their cadres and apoloziged for the same, according to Nepali Congress sources.

The Madhesi leaders urged the major parties to fulfil their demands, which were agreed upon in the past and asked to provide compensation to those killed during the protests.
Madhesis, who are inhabitants of the Terai region, are opposed to the new Constitution that divides their ancestral homeland under the seven-province structure and have led an ongoing blockade of key border trade points with India.
The agitating community that shares strong cultural and family bonds with India is demanding demarcation of provinces, fixing of electoral constituencies on the basis of population and proportional representation, and have launched a protest for months that has claimed at least 55 lives.