UML, Janajati dissidents meet inconclusive

KATHMANDU, Sept 1: A meeting of dissident Janjati leaders of the CPN-UML with party leadership ended inconclusively on Saturday after the latter failed to respond to the demands of Janjati leaders in writing as party Chairman Jhalanath Khanal was receiving treatment at the hospital.



While leaders from the party establishment said the meeting was positive, the dissident leaders termed the meeting futile. [break]



"We told them that the party will respond to their nine-point demands in writing in a couple of days," said CPN-UML Secretary Shankar Pokharel about the meeting, "We further told them that some their demands will be addressed if there is a consensus among the major political parties."





Leaders in the meeting. (Photo: Bhashwor Ojha)



Dissident leaders have demanded that the party leadership stand for single identity-based federalism and reinstate of the dissolved Constituent Assembly, among others. They have remained passive in the party after the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly in May, accusing the party of opposing single-identity based federalism and standing against reinstatement of the Constituent Assembly.



"We will hold another meeting only after the party responds to our demands in writing," said dissident leader Rakam Chemjong, "As of today, the party leadership has shown no signs of addressing our demands."



CPN-UML Vice-chairman Bam Dev Gautam, General Secretary Ishwor Pokharel, Secretaries Yuba Raj Gywali, Pokharel and Bishnu Paudel represented the party establishment while Ashok Rai, Prtibhu Subba Gurung, Kiran Gurung, Dal Bahadur Rana, Chemjong, Rajendra Shrestha and Ajambar Kangmang represented the dissidents at the meeting.

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