Prez urged the Madhesi leaders not to quit CA and resort to only peaceful protests Kathmandu, August 21 President Ram Baran Yadav today made phone calls to United Democratic Madhesi Front leaders, urging them to return to the negotiating table. According to President’s Press Adviser Rajendra Dahal, the Head of State made phone calls to UDMF leaders Mahantha Thakur, Upendra Yadav and Rajendra Mahato, who had gone to Saptari to address a condolence assembly organised to mourn the death of Rajiv Raut, and urged them to seek resolution of constitutional issues through dialogue. Raut was killed in a police firing on Tuesday. Dahal said the President also urged the Madhesi leaders not to quit the Constituent Assembly and resort to only peaceful protests. Thakur said over phone from Saptari that he told the President that the Madhesi leaders had already held talks in the past with the government and the leaders of the major parties and they only had to implement the agreements reached in the past to address their concerns. “We sit for talks but the major parties repeat the same old things. We are not raising any new demand. We just want them to implement the past agreements and respect the Interim Constitution,” Thakur said. Mahato said the President told him not to leave the CA, but his party had already decided to quit the CA. “We will not rethink over this decision,” Mahato said and added that the major parties needed to implement the eight-point agreement and there was no need for fresh talks with them. Madhesi leaders also said they had not received any formal invite for talks from the government, particularly the prime minister. President’s Adviser Dahal, however, said if the Madhesi leaders were ready to sit for dialogue, the President would encourage the major parties to hold dialogue with them.