Mahantha Thakur insists their demands be met first or they won’t participate in election

KATHMANDU, Feb 5: Influential leader of Madhesi Morcha and Terai-Madhes Lokantratik Party Chairman Mahantha Thakur has made clear that Madhesi Morcha will not participate in election unless the government passes the tabled amendment bill in the parliament.

During an interaction program organized by the Reporters’ Club Nepal presided by senior journalist and Club’s President Rishi Dhamal at Bhrikutimandap today, he said that Morcha are not against election and stressed the need to put the current issues to resolution for positive outlet before going to election.

He also warned the government that Madhes protest could turn into nationwide rebellion pushing nation into critical situation if election is forcefully held.

Thakur also accused the government to have suppressed the people’s licit demands through violence and expressed doubt over government’s intention saying, “The government could be deceiving Madhesi people.”

Responding to a media person’s query on how he had taken CK Raut’s arrest, he said, “Arresting and killing does not give solution.” Thakur added, “A political problem should be solved politically.”

Thakur also refused to accept the Local Body Restructuring Report and added, “Restructuring of local body is not people’s demand. The cabinet is doing the work of declaring Village Development Committees into Municipalities. Why all this bothering on Local Level election now?”

He added election of province was to be done first before conducting local level election.

Further commenting on the LRBC report, he said, “What Restructuring report lacks is that it cannot help make available basic services and facilities to all the villages, and it does not define population and ecology properly.”

On a final note he said Madhesi Morcha will only participate in election if their demands are fulfilled.