Govt, 33 parties hold 'positive' talks

KATHMANDU: The government on Thursday held talks with an alliance of protesting 33 parties, which the negotiators said moved toward a positive direction.

A negotiator from the protesting bloc, Nepal Samata Party Secretary Bikram Kunwar, said the talks were positive and the protesters were hopeful that the government would soon fulfill their demands.

He said the agitators urged the government to create an environment in which all parties could take ownership of the new Constitution.

Expressing his comments after the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar said the government would try to address the protesters' concerns through talks.

The alliance had submitted a five-point memorandum to the Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli-led team today.

The alliance has demanded that the government form a powerful commission to various issues facing underprivileged, peasants, labourers, unemployed and landless people among others.

Deputy Prime Ministers Bijay Kumar Gachhadar and Bhim Rawal, Minister for Home Affairs Shakti Bahadur Basnet and Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Agni Prasad Kharel among others had also attended the meeting on behalf of the government.

CPN-UML leaders Madhav Kumar Nepal and Ishwor Pokharel were also present.

 

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