Birgunj, August 22:

The session of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum’s general convention preparation committee began this morning in Rani Sati Atithi Sadan here.

MJF chairman Upendra Yadav, preparation committee member Bhagyanath Gupta, senior MJF leader Jitendra Sonal along with other key personages of the MJF were present in the session.

Prior to it, MJF chief Yadav told reporters that the forum went for talks with the government but the talks could not be held.

He said that the talks to be held in Kathmandu yesterday were called off as only Jhalanath Khanal of the CPN-UML was present on behalf of the government.

Yadav, however, pointed out that this did not mean that there would be no talks with the government in future. He also described former MJF vice-chairman Kishore Biswas’s comment that the talks process was meaningless as irresponsible.

Jitendra Sonal, member of the general convention preparation committee, said that the session would concentrate on the issues of the Madhes agitation, MJF-government talks, strengthening of the forum, approach to the constituent assembly polls and the party’s

political strategy.

Saying that the forum would give first priority to talks with the government, another MJF leader said that the session would continue tomorrow as well.

The 25-member general convention preparation committee was formed under the coordination of Upendra Yadav after the dissolution of the MJF central committee a few months ago.