Madhesi alliance to decide its vote Sunday

KATHMANDU, August 28: United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF), an alliance of five Madhesi parties that holds the key to the prime ministerial race, is to decide its vote on Sunday. The UCPN (Maoist) and Nepali Congress have both claimed that they will get the alliance´s votes for their respective prime ministerial candidate in the Sunday election.



But several UDMF leaders say that they are still undecided and there is a fifty-fifty chance that they will support either the NC or Maoist candidate. [break]



Both the UCPN (Maoist) and Nepali Congress were engaged in informal parleys with leaders of the Madhesi parties throughout Saturday in their bid to seal the Madhesi parties´ votes for their prime ministerial candidates.



NC President Sushil Koirala met MPRF(D) Chairman Bijaya Gachchadar, TMDP Chairman Mahanta Thakur, MPRF(R) Chairman Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta and TMDP(N) Chairman Mahendra Prasad Yadav and solicited their votes for NC´s ministerial candiate Ram Chandra Paudel.



Koirala put it to the Madhesi leaders that the CA term may not be extended after three months if the Supreme Court so decides and in that scenario it would be risky to have the Maoists in the government leadership. "The Madeshi leaders have taken this argument seriously," said an NC leader.



He also claimed that Gachchhadar, Thakur and Yadav have given their word to support the NC candidate but Gupta is still reluctant.



Meanwhile, UDMF on Saturday evening proposed to the UCPN (Maoist) to amend its proposal on peace process and constitution writing.



If two sides reach an agreement on the peace process issue, they may sign a deal opening the way for a new government led by Maoist Vice-chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai.



According to sources, the Madhesi leaders proposed to the Maoist leadership that a directorate under the Nepal Army should be formed to accommodate 6,000 personnel each from the security agencies, the Maoist combatants and the Madhesi community. That means the directorate will have 18,000 personnel.



Similarly, the alliance has proposed that such a directorate should be mandated to work in the field of development and industry. They have clearly stated in their proposal that such a force will not have any mandate for border security and any combat role. The Maoists, in their proposal made public Thursday, sought to give a general military mandate to such a directorate.



The Madhesi parties have also maintained that integration of Maoist combatants should be on individual basis and without compromising standard norms for recruitment.



"We have sought a commitment from the Maoist leadership to implement the proposal within a designated timeframe," said a senior Madhesi leader on condition of anonymity.



According to sources, Madhesi leaders Jitendra Dev, Laxman Lal Karna and Hrideyesh Tripathi prepared the amended proposal.



Similarly, the Madhesi parties have also sought from the Maoist party an agreement on sharing constitutional appointments and other governmental appointments.

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