Madhesi Front withdraws support to Nepal govt

Kathmandu:  An alliance of Madhes-based political parties has withdrawn its support to Prime Minister Prachanda-led Nepal government after it failed to meet a seven-day ultimatum to fulfil their demands that included endorsement for the revised Constitution amendment bill.
The United Democratic Madhesi Front withdrew support to the government as it failed to address its concern within the seven-day ultimatum that expired on Tuesday.
The Front has been demanding government’s endorsement for revised Constitution amendment bill and withdrawal of the decision to conduct local polls in May.
“Our support to the government automatically expired on Tuesday,” said Keshav Jha, General Secretary of National Madhes Socialist Party.
“The government did not discuss with the Front leaders their concerns after they served the ultimatum,” he said.
The Front had said that it could not support the government as it had been preparing to hold local level polls without addressing the issues raised by them.
Even after the withdrawal of support by the Madhesi Front, the ruling coalition has the backing of more than 320 members in the 601-member Constituent Assembly.
The incumbent government led by CPN-Maoist Centre has got the support from Nepali Congress, Rastriya Prajatantra Party and other fringe parties.
Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin, had launched a six-month-long agitation against the implementation of the Constitution without amending its provisions that would address the demands for more representation and re-demarcation of state boundaries.
Meanwhile, Nepal has told India that the proposal for open skies cannot be accepted now as the Himalayan nation is in the process of upgrading its airport infrastructure.
Open skies policy allows countries to operate unlimited number of flights to each other’s cities.
Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha has informed the Rajya Sabha that in the recently concluded bilateral civil aviation talks, Nepal welcomed the Indian proposal for open skies. (PTI)