Govt, FRNF strike 5-pt deal; MJF stays away
Two days after a landmark agreement with the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF), effectively paving the way for the April 10 polls, the government on Saturday signed an agreement with the Federal Republic National Front (FRNF), an alliance of seven groups agitating in Terai and eastern region.
The five-point agreement signed at the Prime Minister's residence in Baluwatar this afternoon includes 'guarantee' of ending centralised governing system through the constituent assembly; martyr status to those killed during the FRNF-called agitations and Rs 1 million compensation to the families of the deceased.
The agreement became possible after the Front agreed to drop its demand for fully proportional election system for the CA and "constitutional guarantee" of autonomy to federal units on the basis of language and region.
Representatives of five of the seven constituents of the Front – Federal Democratic National Forum, Federal Limbuwan State Council, Tamsaling Autonomous State Council, Dalit Janajati Party and Tharuwan National Front – signed the agreement while Republican Madhesi Front and Bhangya Nath Gupta-led Madhesi Janadhikar Forum –Madhes (MJF-M) rejected it.
With the signing of the deal, FRNF has withdrawn its agitations in Terai and eastern districts.
However, leader of MJF-M Kishore Bishwas has said that his party will not take part in the Constituent Assembly election and rather continue its agitation.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala.
Before arriving at the five-point deal, the government's talk team led by peace and reconstruction minister Ram Chandra Poudel and the FRNF representatives had held a series of negotiations throughout this week. nepalnews.com mk/ia Mar 01 08
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