Kathmandu, February 24:

The formal talks between the government talks team and representatives of the Federal Republican National Front (FRNF) ended inconclusively, as both sides stuck to their stands on the four demands put forward by the FRNF.

The FRNF led by leader of the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum Madhes Kishor K Biswas had asked the government talks team to fully implement the parliament’s declaration on the formation of a republic, adopt an all-out proportional representation system of election to the CA and ensure the federal system of governance with the right to self-determination without affecting the national unity and integrity.

The FRNF had set the release of detained 40 cadres as a precondition before holding the formal talks that began this morning and continued till late night.

The talks started after the government freed all the detained cadres.

“The status quoist mindset of the government is the main reason behind the failure of the talks,” MJFM leader Kishor K Biswas told the reporters at the end of the meeting.

He said that the government was in a mood of confrontation with the ethnic communities and Madhesis by not addressing their demands of the ethnic communities and Madhesis. Bishwovendra Paswan of Dalit Janjati Party, which is aligned with the FRNF, said, “The government side merely asked us to give up our demands.”

Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Ram Chandra Poudel, however, said, “We are ready to show maximum flexibility to address their demands.”

Another talks team member and Minister for Local Development Dev Gurung said the government took the demands positively. “But we still have to discuss the way to implement them,” Gurung said.