Kathmandu, February 23:

The government talks team and representatives of the Federal Republican National Front (FRNF), a loose alliance of eight ethnic political groups, today held informal talks to resolve the demands raised by the FRNF.

The FRNF has said it would not take part in formal talks with the government unless 40 of its cadres, who were arrested by the administration during agitation in the Tarai and eastern hills, were released, curfew imposed in several parts of the country lifted and police excesses were stopped.

Leader of the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum, Madhes Kishor Kumar Biswas said they asked the government talks team led by Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Ram Chandra Poudel to fulfil these conditions first.

FRNF’s major demands include ensuring one Madhes, one Prades, a fully proportional representation system of election, the formation of a republic in line with the announcement made by the interim parliament and further extension of the election schedules .

The government would do the needful to ease curfew and release the FRNF cadres to create a conducive environment for talks in coordination with the Home Ministry, Biswas quoted Poudel as saying.

Poudel is learnt to have told the agitating groups that most of their demands would be met after the CA polls and asked them to actively take part in the polls. The meeting will continue tomorrow.