Amend statute before polls, says Mahato

Janakpurdham, March 24

Sadbhawana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato today said the constitution should be amended before holding local level elections.

Talking to mediapersons at Janakpur airport, Mahato said, “Constitution amendment will create conducive environment for the local elections.”

He clarified that the United Democratic Madhesi Front would not sign any agreement without guarantee that the constitution would be amended. “We have reached many agreements in the past, but none of them have been implemented,” he added.

Mahato urged the major three parties to address the Tarai problem to create environment for local level elections. Stating that the UDMF had lost trust in big parties, Mahato said that the Madhes-based parties would participate in the polls only if the statute was amended.

“UDMF is not against the election. But, holding the polls in the status quo is simply impossible,” Mahato said.

Mahato accused the government of being indifferent to their demands. He also ruled out the possibility of civic polls without resolving the dispute over provincial boundaries. “To carve out only two provinces in Madhes, which has more than half the country’s population is not fair,” Mahato held.