Kathmandu, November 14

United Democratic Madhesi Front leaders today rejected the Nepali Congress’ offer of moving the constitution amendment bill ahead and trying to forge consensus on issues of provincial boundaries gradually.

UDMF negotiator Laxman Lal Karna said NC negotiators told UDMF leaders that as opposition parties both sides could jointly push for the passage of constitution amendment bill registered by the Sushil Koirala-led government and hold negotiations on the amendment of provincial boundaries.

The UDMF, however, rejected NC’s proposal. UDMF wants amendment on provincial boundaries with two provinces in Madhes.

NC also urged UDMF leaders to withdraw the blockade at border entry points.

Karna said UDMF had no stake in the Constitution Amendment Bill as it was registered in Parliament by the NC-led government without consulting UDMF. He said UDMF negotiators told NC leaders that there could be working alliance between the two sides only after the NC came up with its stances vis-à-vis the 11-point demand put forth by the UDMF.

UDMF leaders also said that once a package deal was reached on all the demands of Madhesi forces, the UDMF would lift its blockade on the border entry points.

According to NC leader Mahesh Acharya, NC negotiators told Madhesi leaders that since the issues of proportional inclusion and election constituencies on the basis of population were also issues of Madhesi forces and also the concerns of lawmakers of other parties, the NC wanted to move ahead with the process of amending the constitution so that these provisions could be part of the new constitution.

UDMF leaders, however, said amendment of provincial boundaries was their major concern, to which the NC negotiators replied that since the amendment of provincial boundary was a technical and political issue, they needed to hold more dialogue to forge consensus.

Acharya said the NC was of the view that the passage of Constitution Amendment Bill with the help of the UDMF would help build confidence among parties and prepare grounds for amendment of provincial boundaries later.

“We told them that even the provincial boundary will be amended through constitutional amendment so if we can all agree now on the constitution reform bill, that will make it easy to build confidence among stakeholders,” Acharya said.

He said both sides agreed to hold further negotiations. NC negotiators are likely to hold dialogue with representatives of the ruling parties tomorrow on these issues.

Meanwhile, Unified CPN-Maoist Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal today held informal dialogue with Madhesi leaders.

According to Karna, Dahal told Madhesi leaders that he, along with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Kamal Thapa, were given the mandate by the High Level Political Coordination Committee to hold dialogue with them and he would hold formal dialogue with them soon after holding dialogue with the three parties first.