KATHMANDU, Feb 5 - A meeting of the leaders of the four major parties Monday was held at Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's official Baluwatar residence to hammer out solutions for the ongoing Terai unrest.
The leaders present at the meeting suggested the prime minister to make another address to the nation.
Sources said the leaders reached an agreement that the prime minister would make an address to the nation again so as to resolve the turmoil in the Terai region.
Attended by PM Koirala, CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, CPN-M Chairman Prachanda and Bimalendra Nidhi from the Nepali Congress-Democratic, the meeting concentrated on finalizing strategies and policies to be adopted to seek an outlet to the Terai movement that has seen rampant street violence, vandalisms and deaths in the region. Nidhi was representing NC-D as party President Sher Bahdur Deuba is out of the valley.
Stating that the previous address to the nation by the prime minister did not comply with the Madhesi people's demands, the party leaders present at the meeting today urged the prime minister to address the nation again.
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on Wednesday had made an address to the nation but Maoists including other parties of ruling coalition government had expressed their dissent stating the PM's address to the nation did not come as per the understanding among the parties.
Sources said it is highly likely that the prime minister would make an address to the nation later today.
The leader of the four parties urged the PM to send a clear message to the agitating community and the nation as a whole in addition to demanding a thorough investigation into the extent of the damage inflicted on life and property in the region due to the violent demonstrations.
Talking briefly to the journalists, UML General Secretary Nepal said that it was highly likely that the PM would address the nation today.
Nepali Congress General Secretary Ram Chandra Poudel said that the four parties had already reached an agreement of principles on the issue of resolving the Terai unrest.
Meanwhile, after the meeting, the leaders have planned an eight party meet to seek a general consensus regarding the plans and policies, after which they are likely to be publicised through PM Koirala's address to the nation, Baluwatar sources said.
However, it has not yet been decided if the meeting of the eight parties will take place today itself.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the central working committee members of the Nepali Congress is underway at the PM's residence whereas another major party in the ruling coalition government CPN-UML too has called a meeting of its standing committee members at its party headquarters. The meetings of the both the parties will mainly concentrate on the Terai issues, said sources.
According to UML leader Amrit Bohora, the UML called an emergency meeting noticing that all the major parties must take initiative to resolve the ongoing problems.
Nepal Sadbhavana Party-Anandadevi, which had decided not to participate in any meeting among the eight parties for issues other than the Madhesi movement, said that the party has not yet received any information regarding the eight party meeting.
Likewise, chairman of the Nepal Majdoor Kishan Party, Narayan Man Bijukchhe, said that the leaders of the top parties have not yet discussed anything with him regarding the Terai unrest.
Earlier this morning, some ministers assembled at PM’s Baluwatar residence and discussed the steps to be taken by the government to resolve Madhesi unrest.
According to Minister of Law and Justice Narendra Bikram Nembang, after it was decided that the leaders of the four parties would meet, the regular unofficial meeting of the council of ministers today was cancelled. (News source www.ekantipur.com)
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