Madhesh crisis: Prachanda intensifying firefighting efforts

Online Khabar

Kathmandu, November 16. UCPN-Maoist Chair and coordinator of the high-level political mechanism, Prachanda, is intensifying efforts aimed at addressing demands of the Madhesh Movement.

As part of his efforts, Prachanda discussed the matter with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at the PM’s Official Residence in Baluwatar. The meeting took up the issue of province delineation.

Prachanda’s personal secretary, Chuda Mani Khadka, told Online Khabar: He (Prachanda) floated some alternatives and Prime Minister seems impressed with them.

According to Khadka, Prachanda is making efforts to hold talks with United Democratic Madheshi Front leaders.

During talks between top leaders of major parties and UDMF, Prachanda had floated two alternatives.

Prachanda has proposed resolving the delineation issue by forming a political committee comprising top leaders. The Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML have taken the proposal positively, whereas the UDMF does not seem impressed.

Another Prachanda proposal talks about dividing districts with contesting claims of different provinces. This proposal has failed to impress NC and UML. Among others, UML Chair and PM KP Oli is against changing provincial boundaries.