Kathmandu, August 2

Although the task force members of the Nepali Congress, CPN-Maoist Centre and the Federal Alliance reached a tentative three-point agreement today, they failed to strike a formal deal.

“We reached a three-point agreement before Pushpa Kamal Dahal filed nomination for tomorrow’s prime ministerial election. However, the agreement could not be signed formally. We hope the meeting of top leaders of both the sides to be held at 8:00am tomorrow will strike formal agreement,” said leader of the Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal Rajendra Shrestha. The task force has reached the three-point agreement, but the top leaders need to finalise the draft before final agreement, Shrestha said. “If the agreement cannot be signed before tomorrow’s voting, we will not vote for Dahal,” he said.

Sadbhawana Party’s Co-Chair Laxman Lal Karna said the task force also worked on the drafts of the three-point, seven-point and two-point agreement to choose one of them, but failed to reach any conclusion today. “The meeting of top leaders to be held tomorrow morning will finalise it,” Karna said.  Even if agreement was signed, the agitating parties would not join the government until the agreement is implemented, he said.

The draft agreement

• The new cabinet to address the concerns of the agitating parties, including declaring people killed during Madhes movement martyrs, withdrawing fake lawsuits and forming judicial commission to look into incidents during the movement.
• The government taking a constitution amendment bill to the Parliament by forging consensus with the agitating parties on the basis of the 26-point demand raised by the Federal Alliance and 11-point demand put forth by the United Democratic Madhesi Front
• Agitating parties to vote for Dahal in today’s prime ministerial election