Nepal's agitating parties call off planned protests before local body elections

The Madhes-based ethnic parties on Sunday called off their planned agitation programs to disrupt upcoming local body elections scheduled for May 14 and June 14, leaders said.

The disgruntled Mades-based parties' decision came a day after they sealed a crucial deal with the ruling alliance, agreeing to join the local body elections.

A meeting of six Madhes-based fringe parties held in Kathmandu decided to postpone all planned agitation programs, hoping that the revised constitutional amendment tabled by the government in the Parliament will address their demands.

Rajendra Shrestha, a key leader of the Rashtriya Janata Party, warned that they would be forced to launch a fresh stir against the government if their demands were not met through constitutional amendments before the local body elections.

The Madhes-based parties, which represent Nepal's southern Terai, announced their unification and the launch of a new group called Rashtriya Janata Party on Thursday.

Government spokesman Surendra Kumar Karki told media that the government will register a revised constitution amendment bill at the parliament on Monday to address the demands of the Madhes-based parties.

The bill states that changes in federal boundaries, a key demand of the Madhes-based parties, will be determined by a federal restructuring commission to be formed by the government in future, according to the government spokesman.

The Madhes-based parties also demand more political representation at the provincial and upper house and re-demarcation of provincial boundaries.

The Madhes-centric parties have been launching protests since Nepal promulgated the new constitution in September 2015.

Over 55 people have been killed in the violent clashes between the protesters and the police during unrest in the Southern Terai region of Nepal bordering India. Enditem