A Maoist parliamentary board meeting held in Singha Durbar this morning decided to ask Bhandari to quit over his controversial statement that 22 Terai districts are free to breakaway if the state fails to address their concerns. [break]
Opposition parties including Nepali Congress and CPN-UML has been demanding Bhandari’s resignation ever since he made the statement, describing the remark as ‘secessionist’ and unbefitting his position.
Bhandari represents Madhesi People’s Rights Forum-Democratic in the incumbent coalition government.
Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai and his party chief and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar have been defending his remark, saying it was wrongly understood.
A meeting of UML´s Central Committee members representing the party in the House has decided to obstruct today´s parliamentary session. The House last met on September 22.
According to UML CC member Agni Kharel, his party would not allow House proceedings unless the party´s demands including scrapping of the four-point deal between Maoists and UDMF, action against Bhandari and Land Reforms Minister Prabhu Sah are met.
Sah has been implicated in the murder of a Hindu youth leader in Birgunj.
Meanwhile, the NC Central Working Committee meeting is under way to discuss how to present itself in today´s House meeting. It is understood that the meeting will decide to ask for Bhandari and Sah´s resignation and support the UML bid for House obstruction, among other things.
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