Taskforce members fail to meet in Nepal

A meeting of taskforce comprising members of Nepal's major political parties and the agitating Madhesi Front today failed to convene here, apparently over differences relating to demarcation of provincial boundaries.
The scheduled meeting was to discuss the much-thorny issue of boundary re-demarcation to end the five-month-long protests by the four-party United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF).
Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal co-chairman Rajendra Shrestha said the meeting could not be convened as the major political parties "didn't call them."
"We were at Singha Darbar at the scheduled time of 2pm," Shrestha said. "But, no one came till 4:30pm and we returned."
He added that the political parties had not informed them about any postponement.

According to sources close to the Madhesi Front, the three major parties have failed to reach an agreement to address the issues relating to boundary demarcation, forcing them to skip today's meeting.

Although, the UDMF has been positive towards a proposal by the major parties - Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist) - to settle the demarcation row through political mechanism, the Front has asked the parties for a guarantee for changes in the federal map.
The three political parties on January 3 decided to set up the taskforce to find a common ground on demands put forth by Madhesi leaders in a bid to end the political impasse in the country over the Constitution adopted on September 20.

Madhesis, who share strong cultural and family bonds with Indians, demand demarcation of provinces, fixing of electoral constituencies on the basis of population and proportional representation.
Life in southern plains have been seriously hit for the past five months due to the Madhesi stir, blocking key trade points with India and leading to shortage of supplies.
So far, more than 50 people have died in the agitation.