Talks on state restructuring inconclusive

KATHMANDU, August 4: The talks between the three major political parties and the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) over the formation of state restructuring commission on Thursday ended inconclusively after both the sides refused to budge from their respective stances.



The UDMF -- an alliance of five Madhes-based parties -- stated that the proposal for setting up such a commission is just a ploy to defer the task of state restructuring, while the major parties contended that the commission is a must to resolve the contentious issue. [break]



“The meeting ended inconclusively as Madhes-based political parties categorically rejected the proposal for setting up the commission on state restructuring,” said NC parliamentary party leader Ram Chandra Paudel who was present at the meeting held at the initiative of CA Chairman Subas Nembang.



“The commission is not meant to take a final decision on federalism. It can only make recommendations on the issue of state restructuring,” added Paudel. “But Madhesi parties turned down the proposal.”



“It is our common understanding that formation of a commission to resolve the issue of state restructuring will have no relevance. A committee of experts should be formed to make recommendations on the issue,” said Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta, Chairman of Madhesi People´s Rights Forum-Republican (MPRF-R). He also said the major three parties were conspiring to promulgate the new constitution without resolving the issue of state restructuring.







UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said the issue of state restructuring should be resolved through national consensus taking all the political parties into confidence. “Such an issue can not be resolved without taking the UDMF into confidence.



But as the Madhes-based parties have rejected the idea, we should now discuss an alternative,” Gupta quoted Dahal as saying.



Prime Minister and Chairman of CPN-UML Jhalanath Khanal reiterated that formation of the commission is necessary to finalize the issue of state restructuring. However, he stressed on the need for further discussion on the issue.



Meanwhile, leaders of Madhes-based political parties asked CA chairman Nembang to take the initiative to form a committee of experts to finalize the issue. They stated that the constitution cannot be drafted until the issue of state restructuring is resolved.

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