Janakpur, May 18:

Informal talks with the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum are going on, Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Ram Chandra Poudel said today.

Government-MJF talks scheduled for today could not be held because a high-level commission had not yet been formed to probe into losses incurred during the Madhes agitation, he said.

The government and the MJF had agreed to hold the talks after the formation of the commission, he said. “The commission could not take shape because of the delay in convening a meeting of council of ministers.”

“Serious attempts were not made to hold talks with both factions of the Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha,” Poudel added. “All issues should be raised at the talks table,” he said, adding that the armed groups should lay down their arms before the talks.

“There are no ties between the NC and the Chure Bhawar Ekta Samaj (CBES),” Poudel said.

Meanwhile, speaking at a zonal level training organised by the Tarun Dal (Dhanusha) here, Poudel called for the resolution of problems through discussions.

“The constituent assembly (CA) is the national agenda and the government is committed to holding the CA polls by the third week of November,” he said.