Kathmandu, March 22
Madheshi Morcha, an alliance of political parties based in the Terai protesting the new constitution, has said it will take part in the civic elections if Article 274 of the constitution is amended.
The Morcha has said it is ready to wait for the re-drawing of provincial boundaries if Article 274 was amended. This comes at rounds of negotiation between the ruling coalition and the Morcha at the recently-formed taskforce level.
The Nepali Congress’ Krishna Sitaula, Maoist Centre’s Krishna Bahadur Mahara, RPP’s Dipak Bohora and the Morcha’s Rajendra Shrestha, Laxmanlal Karna and Peshal Dhakal are part of the taskforce that has been holding back-room negotiations for the last few days.
While Nepali Congress say the government and the alliance are on the verge of an agreement, Morcha sources say it is to early to say.
Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal’s Rajendra Shrestha said the Morcha has demanded that article 274 be amended to create an environment for elections. He said clauses 4, 5, 6 and 7, which are related to the re-drawing of provincial boundaries, need to scrapped.
According to the article, any change in provincial boundaries needs to be passed by provincial assemblies as well as Parliament.
