Submitting a memorandum to Chairman of the Interim Election Council Khil Raj Regmi at the latter´s office in Singha Durbar on Saturday, MPRF-N Chairman Upendra Yadav has urged the government maintain law and order in the Tarai. [break]
“Our party leader Pragash Sah was shot at by an unidentified group in broad daylight on Thursday,” he said, adding that the incident reflects security situation in the Tarai. He also said that the Tarai-based armed groups were getting political protection.
In a separate context, Yadav said that the government should immediately provide relief to the flood hit areas of the country.
When asked whether the Constituent Assembly (CA) polls would be held on the scheduled date, Yadav said elections cannot be held in the current situation. “Unless the 11 point agreement and the 25 point ordinance on removing constitutional difficulties are scrapped, elections cannot be held,” said Yadav.
I have not gone underground: Gupta
Meanwhile, coordinator of Tarai-Madhes National Campaign Jay Prakash Gupta has said that he would not choose an armed struggle. Issuing a press note on Saturday, Gupta said, “I haven´t gone underground. But Madheshi leaders have not been faithful toward the cause of Madhesis,” said Gupta, adding, “They have only been using the Madhesi people to fulfill their personal ambitions.”
Central member of Tarai Madhes National Campaign Rakesh Gupta said that Gupta had no connection with armed outfits. “We believe that the Tarai- based armed outfits should also join peaceful politics,” he said, adding, “Jay Prakash Gupta is not interested in power politics anymore. We are not going to register a party either.” He also claimed that the CA polls can not be held on the scheduled date of November 19.
Meanwhile, a three-day meeting of the central working committee of Sadbhavana Party (SP) that concluded on Saturday has decided to take initiatives to bring Tarai armed outfits into mainstream politics. “Four armed groups have already merged with our party,” said party Spokesperson Santosh Kumar Mehta.
Mehta further said that the unification talks between his party and Mahantha Thakur-led Tarai Madhes Democratic Party was moving ahead positively. He also claimed that some of the central committee members of MPRF-Nepal, MPRF-Democratic, and other Madheshi parties are also likely to join SP within a few weeks. “We are in favor of meaningful CA polls and CA election must be held on the scheduled date,” said Mehta.
Central member of SP Rajeev Jha said, “The central committee meeting of our party has also decided to ask the government to withdraw cases against armed outfits so that they can join peaceful politics.”
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