Kathmandu, April 20

Federal Alliance today prepared the programmes of protest hoping to intensify Kathmandu-centric agitation in next three weeks.

Alliance has 27 constituents, including the constituents of the United Democratic Madhesi Front.

According to General Secretary of Sadbhawana Party Manish Kumar Suman, the alliance would unveil its protest programmes after holding an interaction with diplomatic corps tomorrow.

According to Suman, the alliance would brief the representatives of the diplomatic missions based in the capital about its 22-point common concept paper issued by the alliance on April 17.

Suman said the alliance would hold rallies and mass meetings in all 75 districts and would also ensure that similar protest programmes were organised in all districts.

He also said that the alliance would launch its protest programmes within a few days in all districts.

“We hope to build momentum for Kathmandu-centric protest programme in three weeks,” Suman said and added that the alliance would form separate committees and sub-committees to carry out protest programmes.

Prime Minister’s Press Adviser Pramod Dahal said since the prime minister had invited the alliance leaders for talks twice, they should respond to PM’s call positively.

He also said that the talks committee formed by the government had been talking informally to alliance leaders but till now the alliance leaders had not responded to the talks offer.

In its 22-point common concept paper, the alliance has demanded to create autonomous provinces on the basis of identity and economic capability guaranteeing two provinces in the Tarai.

Alliance’s other key demands include guarantee of multi-language policy, proportional representation in the House of Representatives, representation on the basis of population in the Upper House besides guaranteeing at least one representative from each province, inclusive appointments in judiciary and security agencies, end to political quota in the appointments of constitutional office bearers, withdrawal of false cases filed against agitating parties’ cadres and leaders and waiver of interests rates and fines for loans taken by citizens and business houses during Madhes agitation.

Nepali Congress leader Bimalendra Nidhi said his party had not been able to take the lead to initiate dialogue with the agitating forces due to its general convention and some other party activities but now the party was free from those tasks.

He said party president Sher Bahadur Deuba had already initiated dialogue with the agitating Madhesi forces and as soon as he returned from his India tour, he would continue the dialogue process.

Nidhi said Deuba believed that a negotiated settlement with the agitating forces would enable the stakeholders to implement the new constitution and he would help achieve that.