No budget if demands not met: UDMF

KATHMANDU, June 29: The United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF), a loose alliance of five Madhes-based parties, has decided not allow the government to table the annual budget in parliament if the government fails to address the front´s concerns.



"We will not let the government table the budget with its current principles and priorities," a senior leader of Tarai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) told Republica on condition of anonymity.[break]



The front has been holding meetings since Tuesday to forge a common stance on the budget which they plan to make public Thursday. The leaders claimed that the new budget being prepared by the government is populist in nature and is aimed at serving the ruling parties´ vested interests.



The Madhesi leaders said the proposed budget neglects the Madhes issues including the construction of postal roads and East-West railways in the Tarai. "We will not let the government table the budget if it doesn´t meet our demands," said Govinda Chaudhary of the Tarai Madhesh Democratic Party-Nepal (TMDP-N), a constituent party of the front.

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