At a meeting with UDMF leaders in Singha Durbar, Khanal urged Madhesi parties not to vote for a majority government as such a government would not be able to ensure peace and the new constitution. [break]
However, Madhesi parties said they would vote for the party that pledges to meet their demands. Though 11 members of Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF) voted in favor of Maoist candidate Pushpa Kamal Dahal during the third round voting for prime minister, the alliance of the four Madhesi parties had stayed neutral.
According to Sadbhawana Party Vice Chairman Laxman Lal Karna, Madhesi parties also asked UML Chairman Khanal to define what national consensus meant. “We asked him to take initiatives for withdrawal of the candidacies of both the Maoists and Nepali Congress,” Karna told myrepublica.com.
Khanal had argued that a government consisting three major parties -- UCPN (Maoist), NC, CPN-UML -- and four Madhesi parties would make a national consensus government.
Talking to media persons, Khanal said he asked Madhesi parties to extend support for the formation of national consensus government. He said that he also discussed the demands put forth jointly by the UDMF. “There was no detailed discussion on the demands since we are not in the race for prime minister,” he said.
Madhesi People´s Right Forum-Democratic (MPRF-D) Chairman Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar, MPRF Chairman Upendra Yadav, Tarai Madhesi Democratic Party Chairman Mahantha Thakur and Sadbhawana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato, among others, were present in the meeting.
Khanal also held a meeting with President Dr Ram Baran Yadav Wednesday morning. The meeting focused on ending the current political deadlock.
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