KATHMANDU, March 7: The Federal Alliance has decided to withdraw its support to the government unless the announcement of the local level polls is withdrawn.
A meeting of the alliance held on Tuesday also decided to give a seven-day ultimatum to the government to endorse the constitution amendment bill with revisions and withdraw the decision to hold the polls. It has decided to withdraw support to the government if the deadline is not met. Although the Pushpa Kamal Dahal government enjoys a majority in parliament without the support of the alliance, the latter has been extending its support all the same.
Local leaders rebel against alliance candidates
According to Sadbhawana Party General Secretary Manish Suman, the decision to defer their plan to withdraw support to the government came after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal urged FSFN Chairman Upendra Yadav, Tarai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) Chairman Mahantha Thakur and Sadbhawana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato not to take any decision in haste. The prime minister also assured the Madhesi leaders that the government was serious about addressing their demands.
Altogether 41 lawmakers belong to the constituent parties of the Federal Alliance.
The alliance meeting has announced various programs to protest the death of Madhesi protesters, including a general strike across the country on Friday. The alliance is to submit memorandums to various international human rights organizations, the National Human Rights Commission, and the United Nations office in Kathmandu to draw attention toward ‘violation of human rights’ in Saptari, and hold interactions with the international community to apprise them of the demands of various ethnic and marginalized groups.
According to a press statement issued by the Federal alliance, the meeting has demanded that the government declare those killed in the police firing as martyrs, provide compensation to their kin and make necessary arrangements for the treatment of those injured in the incident. It has also demanded that the general public in Saptari exercise restraint and not to get carried away by the incident.
Three protesters were killed and several others injured when police opened fire to avoid possible clashes between cadres of the Madhes-based parties and the CPN-UML in Maleth, Saptari on Monday. The alliance also decided to hold mass meetings throughout the country on Thursday before enforcing the general strike on Friday.
