Madhesis News

India, China and Nepal should step up "sound interaction for win-win outcomes", Beijing on Thursday said as it congratulated the new Nepalese government headed by KP Oli.

In 2015 and 2016 scores of people were killed, mainly in clashes with police, in protests by the local ethnic Madhesi against a new constitution.

The Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) after a meeting held here announced that it will hold protests to foil the second phase of local level elections slated for June 14.

Nepal will hold their first elections in 20 years.

Nepal government on Monday decided to hold the elections in local bodies across the country in a single phase on May 14. But the decision saw strong reservation from Madhes-based political parties.

Seeking to end the political crisis over the new statute, Nepal government will table a Constitution amendment proposal in parliament within three days, with Prime Minister Prachanda planning to split a province to meet the demands of agitating parties, including Madhesis.

Nepal Prime Minister Prachanda today said his government was committed to table a proposal in the parliament by next week to amend the new Constitution and meet the long-pending demands of agitating parties, including Madhesis.

Ahead of his India visit, Nepal Prime Minister Prachanda on Tuesday said the main thrust of his trip would be to "clear all doubts" in bilateral ties and build an environment of confidence and trust.

Nepal plunged into a political turmoil after Prime Minister K P Oli resigned just before a no-confidence vote.

China on Tuesday said its "weal and woe" friendship with Nepal will not change after the resignation of premier K P Oli, amid concerns here over the fate of a number border connectivity deals struck during his regime to blunt India's influence in Nepal.

"Nepal`s prime minister is prepared to face a no-confidence motion in parliament after former Maoist rebels who had backed his coalition withdrew their support but he sees no need to step down", an aide said.

Federal Alliance, which includes United Democratic Madhesi Front along with many other protesting parties, has said that the government has not corresponded with it for any formal talks.

 An alliance of Madhesis and Janajatis on Wednesday decided to continue its protest against the new Nepali constitution for another 10 days.

The agitating parties will launch protest in Kathmandu for an indefinite period starting from Sunday.

Nepal government on Friday made a fresh appeal to Madhesis to seek peaceful solution to the political crisis through talks even as the agitating parties announced nationwide protests beginning next week in their new bid to continue their struggle against the Constitution.

Nepal ended months-long fuel rationing after supply from India improved, following the end of a border blockade by ethnic protesters against a new constitution, an official said on Tuesday.

Nepal’s ethnic minority groups lifted a four-month-old blockade along a major trading point with India on Monday, saying it didn`t want ordinary people to suffer anymore, but vowed to carry on with its campaign against the new constitution.

Cargo trucks drove through a border crossing in Nepal for the first time in months on Friday, police said, following a blockade that has caused a crippling shortage of fuel and vital supplies across the landlocked country.

The amendments, that addresses the two key demands of the Madhesis who are largely of Indian-origin, were endorsed with a two-thirds majority yesterday.

Over 50 people have died the last five months in the agitation by Madhesi people demanding more representation.