Fresh polls only viable option‚ says Yadav

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: Chairman of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum, Nepal, Upendra Yadav today said fresh mandate was the only viable option to bail the country out of current political, constitutional and economic crisis.

Addressing a programme organised by his party’s youth wing on ‘Nepal’s current political situation’, Yadav criticised both the opposition and the ruling parties saying the former was trying to secure the chair of the Prime Minister, while the latter was trying to prolong its rule.

He went on to say, “Major leaders of the big three parties deliberately failed the Constituent Assembly to abort the issues of federalism and inclusion and the United Democratic Mahadhesi Front leaders became a party to their conspiracy.”

Similarly, the Sadbhawana Party Co-Chair Laxmanlal Karna said Madhesis could attain their rights only through movement and if consensus was not formed soon, the UDMF should leave the current government and go to the people of Madhes. “We are ready to go to the people of Madhes irrespective of what other UDMF partners do,” he added.

It’s the Nepali Congress and UML that are mainly hindering federalism and inclusion, Karna said.

“Sharad Singh Bhandari merely reflected marginalisation of Madhesis but who demanded his resignation, who stalled the house?” Karna asked in a veiled reference to the NC and the UML’s campaign against Bhandari in the face of latter’s purported secessionist remarks.

Coordinator of the CPN (Maoist) Matrika Prasad Yadav said none of the Pahadi leaders, whether they were from the UCPN-M or the other outfits, wanted to empower Madhesi and other marginalised communities. He accused the government of misusing public funds.

Vice-chair of the Terai Madhes Democratic Party Brikhesh Chandra Lal labelled the NC and the UML as anti-federalists forces and said they talked of 6-8 pradeshes, 9-pradesh and 11-pradesh model just to abort federalism.

“How could the Congress which has just now formed a panel under Bhim Bahadur Tamang, to form its view on federalism, can claim it as a federalist force?” he questioned.

On his part Devendra Poudel, political advisor to the Prime Minister, said his party was committed to secure identity-based federalism because that alone could recognise the identity of the excluded groups and empower them. He criticised the NC and the UML ‘for running away from elections.’

Poudel urged the opposition parties not to incite the President or else the executive powers supposed to remain with the real executive body might not remain with the same body.

NC leader Ramesh Lekhak said his party was not anti-federalist force and was committed to identity based federalism. “Our major concern is that federalism should not disturb social harmony,” he added.

CPN-UML General Secretary Ishwar Pokhrel said they were committed to carve out states on the basis of identity and economic capability but country’s geopolitical situation should be kept in mind.

He said the current political problems could be resolved only through political consensus and not merely through amendments to laws and constitution.