A statement read out at a press conference in the capital on Monday has outlined a number of areas, especially the progress on three controversial ordinances, as the party´s success in the government. The press conference was organized to make public decisions taken by the central committee meeting of the party on February 6-7. [break]
Joint Chairman of the party, J P Gupta, who is also a cabinet minister, told the press conference that the three ordinances related to holding by-election in April, disappearances, and inclusion in public services that the government is going to issue address some of the demands raised by MPRF. Gupta also asked the President´s Office not to do anything that subverts the ordinances.
MPRF chief Upendra Yadav said the thrust of the 8-point agreement signed between the then government and a Madhesi front in February last year, and 22-point agreement signed between the government and MPRF in August 2007 was to ensure inclusiveness in state organs.
"The ordinance on inclusiveness ensures participation of Madhesis, Janajatis, Dalits, women and other minority groups in state organs including the Nepal Army (NA)," said Yadav, adding that this was one of the major demands of the Madhes movement. "The government has also expressed commitment to implement other points of agreements with Madhesis." Stating that his party has taken the progress on ordinances positively, Yadav said MPRF would have thought about pulling out of the government had these developments not taken forward.
Also the foreign minister, Yadav had said last month, after being re-elected the MPRF chief, that his party would give the prime minister an ultimatum to fulfill the Madhesi demands before quitting the government. Earlier in January, majority MPRF lawmakers had called the party to quit the government immediately.
Leader Gupta said bringing the ordinances was his party´s responsibility too, despite opposition from the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) and Nepali Congress. "The three ordinances were extremely necessary to give the nation a momentum," said Gupta. "We have the strength and confidence to get these ordinances endorsed as bills by the next session of the House."
The government forwarded the three ordinances to the President´s Office on Sunday for the presidential seal.
The central committee meeting of MPRF had nominated leader Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar (who is also a cabinet minister) as the central committee member. He was later promoted to "senior leader" of the party. The meeting had also inducted two more members in the central committee – Dev Narayan Yadav and Ranju Sharma. The meeting also appointed Jitendra Narayan Dev as the party spokesperson.
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