Fringe parties in FDRA unhappy over Jan 30 meet funding

KATHMANDU, Jan 20: Fringe parties in the Federal Democratic Republican Alliance (FDRA) have been left unhappy after being told that even they have to bear their shares of expenditure of organizing the alliance’s January 30 mass meet at Khulamanch in the capital.



An FDRA secretariat meeting held Saturday estimated the cost of the event at Rs 2,000,000. During the meeting, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who also heads the alliance, largely dominated by ruling parties, proposed the idea of collectively bearing the cost. [break]



As per the proposal, each fringe party, not in the government, has to contribute Rs 50,000, while those holding at least one ministerial portfolio have to pay Rs 100,000 each. The proposal was later quashed following objections from the small parties.



According to a participating leader, the meeting finally ended, deciding that UCPN (Maoist) will contribute Rs 1,000,000; the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF), Rs 500,000; the three fringe parties represented in the government, Rs 50,000 each and other small parties without their representation in the government, Rs 25,000 each.



However, the fringe parties not in the government still have reservation over the revised proposal, saying that they don’t have adequate sources for funding, and are due to meet and inform FDRA Co-ordinator Dahal that the decision is not acceptable to them, the leader added.

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