Rajbiraj, April 4:

Minister for Commerce and Supplies Rajendra Mahato today accused coalition partner CPN-UML of conspiring against the ‘One Madhes, One Pradesh’ demand.

Addressing a press meet organised here today, Mahato, chairman of Sadbhavana Party, said the UML was weakening the Madhes by conspiring against the one Madhes demand to deprive the Madhesi people of their rights.

He also said the Unified CPN-Maoist and the Nepali Congress were helping the UML to conspire against the Madhesis.

Mahato also accused Raj Kumar Lekhi, general secretary of Tharu Kalyankarini Sabha, of taking up the voice of the UML, which has been saying that the Tharus are not Madhesis. He also said the Madhesi parties were losing the identity of Madhes as they were fighting with each other. “Tarai Madhes Democratic Party’s act of opposing the ordinance, which addresses the rights of Madhesi people, is an example of that game,” he alleged.

He also said the formation of local bodies had been delayed, as the political parties were demanding for more shares in the local bodies. Mahato also emphasised the need to form the local bodies at the earliest.